The second round of Iran’s 14th presidential elections has taken place, with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei emphasizing the importance of public participation in the elections, calling it an “important political matter.” Khamenei expressed hope that the enthusiasm and interest of the people have increased and urged them to “finish the job.”
Early Elections Due to Unexpected Circumstances
The elections were held ahead of schedule due to the untimely death of former President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash. The first round of the elections took place on June 28th.
In the first round, Masoud Pezeshkian and Saeed Jalili emerged as the final winners with 10,416,000 and 9,473,000 votes respectively. The country’s spokesperson stated that Pezeshkian secured 42.6% of the votes, Jalili 38.8%, Qalibaf 13.8%, and Pourmohammadi 0.8% of the confirmed votes.
Khamenei’s Stance on Elections
During the first round of elections, Khamenei had stated that the “endurance and honor of the Islamic Republic in the world” depended on the people’s increased participation in the elections and that the country “definitely needs” the people’s vote. However, the first round saw minimal public participation. In his speech for the second round of elections, Khamenei refrained from expressing any need for the people’s vote and simply encouraged them to participate in the “important political matter of elections” and choose their president from the two pre-approved candidates.
Low Voter Turnout
According to statistics released by the Ministry of Interior, the voter turnout in the first round of the 1403 (2024) presidential elections was only 40%, marking the lowest public participation in the elections. Despite the presence of a reformist candidate on the electoral list, participation decreased by 8% compared to three years ago.
Khamenei commented on the low voter turnout a few days after the first round results were announced, stating that the 60% who did not vote were not necessarily opposed to the system. He admitted that there is a small minority in Iran that opposes the system’s principles.
Election Day Developments
Mohammad Mokhber, the interim government director, assured the public on election day that the government is conducting the elections without any bias and is closely monitoring the election’s integrity. He also noted that more people had cast their votes compared to the previous week.
Alireza Fakhari, the governor of Tehran, in an interview with the state news agency, said that the rate of presence at the ballot box at 8:30 am on Saturday was 20% higher than last week. He predicted that if this trend continues, there will be more participation than two weeks ago.
Voting Process and Observations
Voting took place in about 59,000 polling stations. More than 800,000 people were employed in executive and supervisory bodies across the country in the voting areas. The elections continued until 6 pm and could be extended at the discretion of the Minister of Interior. Representatives of the candidates were also present at the polling stations and election headquarters.
Hadi Tahhan Nazif, the spokesperson for the Guardian Council, stated that trained observers from the Guardian Council would be present at all polling stations.
Former President Mohammad Khatami, while casting his vote, expressed hope that everyone would come for the future of Iran and the country’s welfare. Presidential candidate Masoud Pezeshkian, along with former Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, also attended the elections.
This is a summary of original Radio Zamaneh content crafted with the help of AI, edited by a Radio Zamaneh editor. To read the original article, click here.
