• Polling stations in Tehran and other cities across the country face sluggish turnout
In fear of nationwide boycotting of Majlis elections, Khamenei, the Iranian regime’s Supreme Leader, in a bid to draw the people to the polling stations, deviously described participating in elections as “similar to prayers” and “an agreement with God”. He desperately called on the people to take part in the elections and by mentioning the numerous crises and “sensitivity” of the regime’s situation, requested the people to take part “for the sake of country’s security and immunity”.
Based on incoming reports, polling stations in Tehran and other cities throughout the country are completely empty.
In Tehran, the regime has decreased the number of ballot boxes to portray them as crowded. Nevertheless, turnout in polling stations in various regions including Jomhuri, Yaft Abad, Narmak, Imam Hossein, Namju, Manirieh, Resalat, Ostad Moein avenues and the districts of Poonak, Shahr Ara and Gisha have been reported as sluggish. Even at polling stations in the neighborhoods of Lavizan (belonging to the Revolutionary Guards commanders and forces), Ozgal, and ‘Minicity’ area only very few have participated.
The very quiet conditions of the polling stations have reached a point that the stations assigned for foreign reporters to go to have asked the Ministry of Interior to have the reporters come later in order to be able to prepare at least a small crowd before the reporters.
In Shiraz, Fasa, Ghaemshahr, Neka, Qom, Lar, Shahr-e Kurd, Zanjan and Ghazvin all polling stations are nearly empty.
The regime’s officials are providing gold coins, SIM cards, and various other pledges to bring a number of the people to the ballot boxes by any means possible. In Birjand, soldiers have been offered 3 days leave during the upcoming Iranian new years in order to persuade them to vote. The soldiers have been threatened of receiving three additional days of service if they do not vote. In Shahr-e Kurd, the regime’s officials are attempting to purchase people’s birth certificates to cast more votes in the ballot boxes.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
March 2, 2012