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Today, July 3, in a rare admission, the clerical regime’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, acknowledged the overwhelming boycott by the Iranian people in the recent sham presidential elections. Speaking after a five-day silence, Khamenei stated, “In the first stage of the elections, the people’s participation was less than what we expected and predicted. Various people had different estimates about participation, but all of them were higher than what actually happened.”
Expressing concern about the potential interpretation of this boycott by both his supporters and adversaries, Khamenei added, “It is a completely wrong assumption to think that those who did not vote in the first round are against the state.”
During the sham presidential election on June 28, the Social Headquarters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) monitored over 14,000 polling stations across Iran. According to its field observations and despite extensive fraud, it reported that fewer than 7.4 million people, only 12% of eligible voters, participated. This indicates that 88% of Iranians boycotted the election, rejecting Khamenei’s regime and signaling their desire for the overthrow of the religious dictatorship.
Today, in an appeal to his supporters and the disenfranchised insiders within his reign, Khamenei urged them to participate in the upcoming Friday elections. “We have repeatedly said: people’s participation is a support for the system, a source of pride. The second stage of the elections is important. Those who love Islam and the Islamic Republic should demonstrate this by participating in the elections,” he implored.
#Iran’s Regime Prepares to Rig Presidential #Election Results in Crisis Management Strategyhttps://t.co/RPzVhxEd5b
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Khamenei further justified the low turnout, stating, “Many people have problems, work, and busy schedules, and they couldn’t participate for various reasons. Hopefully, in the second stage, the people’s turnout will be enthusiastic and a source of pride for the system.”
His remarks unveiled a significant weakening of his current position. Traditionally, Khamenei would proclaim “victory” and claim “an epic turnout” after elections. However, in today’s speech, he conceded, “There may be some who do not like the system at all.” He maintained that these individuals freely express their opinions and that the government is aware of their sentiments.
Meanwhile, comments and analyses from state-affiliated media highlighted the precarious state of the clerical dictatorship in Tehran.
The daily Farhikhtegan, owned by Khamenei’s advisor Ali Akbar Velayati, referenced a debate between the remaining candidates, Saeed Jalili and Massoud Pezeshkian. “The expectations for a groundbreaking debate were not met. The first night’s second-round debate was not significantly different from the tedious first-round debates. Neither side intended to address sensitive issues openly,” the paper observed.
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This state-run outlet further underscored that the purpose of the debates and seemingly taboo-breaking remarks was mere posturing and hollow advertising to boost participation and showcase the regime’s social strength. The paper continued, “Even the reference to some election misconduct by each candidate did not heat up the debate. Jalili avoided direct answers, taking up a lot of time. Pezeshkian’s rhetoric did not stray from the state’s general policies, which might cost him some of his first-round support.”
Former state media employee Hassan Dehbashi, now a self-proclaimed critic, commented on X, “Javad Zarif has said the role of the Foreign Minister in foreign policy decisions is zero, and Mohammad Khatami has said the President is just a caretaker. The morality police are under the control of the State Security Forces and out of government reach. With 75% of the economy controlled by various foundations, what difference does it make to have a bad president or a worse one?”
Meanwhile, in response to the widespread election boycott, the regime has resorted to drastic measures to drive its supporters to the polls. The parliament and seminaries have been closed, sending clerics and parliament members into a frenzied electoral campaign. The head of the parliament’s internal affairs commission announced a three-week closure of the parliament.