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As Iran’s early presidential elections approach, local sources and media reports reveal the regime’s desperate attempts to drum up participation amidst widespread public disillusionment and anger. The elections face a crisis following years of brutally cracking down on legitimate calls for change and a strong public sentiment to boycott the polls.
In the aftermath of dozens of uprisings, Iranians have increasingly viewed the regime as illegitimate. The brutal repression of protests, which resulted in thousands of deaths and injuries, mass arrests, rampant executions, economic crises, and systemic oppression of women, has driven public hope for change to an all-time low. In a surprising move, the regime has enlisted certain Baluch and Kurdish figures to partake in the electoral propaganda, aiming to attract voters with empty promises.
Despite knowing that no substantial change will occur, these individuals—labeled as opportunistic regime loyalists—attempt to deceive the public once more. Their efforts underscore the regime’s reliance on manipulation and coercion to maintain a facade of the democratic process. The reality, however, is that the presidency under Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei remains a mere executive tool with no real power to implement fundamental reforms.
Anwar Bijarzehi, a regime loyalist from Chabahar and a low-ranking affiliate of the regime’s security apparatus in Baluchestan, has become the spokesperson for presidential candidate Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf‘s campaign in Tehran. Meanwhile, Jalal Jalalizadeh, a so-called reformist and former representative from Sanandaj, has surfaced in Zahedan, using the public admiration of martyr Khodanour Lojei to encourage participation in the elections. This is in stark contrast to the brutal killings at the same location, for which no perpetrators have been brought to justice.
#Iran’s Regime Prepares to Rig Presidential #Election Results in Crisis Management Strategyhttps://t.co/RPzVhxEd5b
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) June 16, 2024
In Sistan and Baluchestan, several marginalized regime affiliates who were sidelined by the current administration are now re-emerging. Among them is Moeinuddin Saeedi, disqualified by the Guardian Council in the run-up to the sham parliamentary elections in February, who is now actively promoting the elections in southern parts of the province. Another figure, Baqer Kurd, a former so-called reformist representative from Zahedan, along with Dr. Sara Khoshkhooy, are engaged in election activities despite having no significant political influence. Their support for a candidate like Masoud Pezeshkian—who has never addressed the demands of ethnic and religious minorities—highlights the regime’s superficial approach and its desperate need for electoral engagement.
The Sunni community, historically marginalized and oppressed, has expressed strong intent to boycott the elections. The participation of these regime-aligned figures, seen as traitors by many, has only fueled further resentment. After decades of broken promises and systemic exclusion, the Baluchi and Sunni populations are now more awakened and resistant to such political theatrics.
As Anwar Bijarzehi and others try to serve their masters in the capital, the sentiment among an overwhelming number of locals is defiance. The regime’s attempt to use the election as a tool for legitimacy is widely viewed as a betrayal, particularly by those who have suffered the most under its rule. This resistance is echoed across Iran, where public disillusionment is at its peak.
