Ayatollah Khamenei:

Voting in Elections A ‘Religious Duty’

TEHRAN (defapress) – Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei highlighted the importance of the elections due to be held across the country later this week and said it is people’s religious duty to participate in the polls.

News ID: 80253

Date: 18 February 2020 - 19:19

Addressing a gathering of people from the northwestern province of East Azarbaijan on Tuesday, Ayatollah Khamenei described the upcoming elections as an example of the political scenes which require “the timely presence” of the Iranian people.

“The elections are a collective struggle that can strengthen the country and enhance the reputation of the Islamic Establishment,” the Leader said, adding that the people’s widespread presence and high turnout in the elections will bring about divine blessings and positive outcomes for the country.

The Leader further pointed to the propaganda campaign of the US officials aimed at influencing the Iranian public opinion and drive a wedge between the Iranian youths and the Islamic Establishment, saying, “Despite all these efforts, they have not succeeded.”

The funeral processions held in various cities last month for Martyr. Let Gen. Qassem Soleimani and the Feb. 11 rallies marking the 1979 Islamic Revolution proved the failure of the Americans’ plots against Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei stated.

The Leader went on to say that the parliamentary elections due to be held on Friday will once again show that the people are supporting and siding with the Islamic Establishment.

Ayatollah Khamenei also emphasized that participation in the polls is “a religious, national, and revolutionary duty and a civil right for all of the people”.

The election campaigns officially began in Iran at 00:00 Thursday, and will last until the end of Wednesday, February 19.

The nationwide votes for the parliament and the midterm election of the Assembly of Experts will be held simultaneously on Friday, February 21.

The campaigns for the Assembly of Experts midterm election had already begun on February 6.

A total of 7,148 candidates, including dozens of Iranians from the religious minorities, are running for the parliament. There are 290 seats in the parliament up for grabs.

In capital Tehran, 1,453 candidates are contesting one of the 30 allocated seats on the legislature.

The lawmakers are elected for a 4-year term, with no limitation for the incumbent or former parliamentarians to run again.

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