Tehran, SAEDNEWS: Ahead of the 13th presidential election and the 6th city and village council elections on June 18, Ayatollah Khamenei addresses the nation in a televised speech.
The speech was broadcast live on Iran's official TV and radio channels.
The speech was initially scheduled to begin at 20:00 local time (15:30 UTC), which changed to 19:00 local time (14:30 UTC).
During his speech, Ayatollah Khamenei stated that he is going to solely focus on the issue of elections which is slated for Friday June 18.During his speech, Ayatollah Khamenei stated that he is going to solely focus on the issue of elections which is slated for Friday June 18.
He noted that a very decisive event, namely the presidential as well as city council elections will take place in Iran in less than 48 hours which will determine the fate (of the nation).
The Supreme Leader said the destiny of the country, especially at a certain juncture, in all areas, including economy, culture, security, healthcare and etc. depends on the kind of action the nation takes to do on Friday. You (the nation) will determine the course of action for all major issues in the country through your presence in the elections and the votes you cast.
People's participation in elections, as defined in the Islamic Republic, is built on a solid base and enjoys a strong theoretical manifest and thus is not regarded as solely a matter of politics. Of course, there are numerous political benefits because of public participation but the most important thing is the fundamental issue of people's participation from the prospect of the Islamic Republic's views.
According to his official website khamenei.ir, "in speaking of the enemy’s propaganda against the upcoming presidential elections, Imam Khamenei stressed, “There are some countries which are being run based on tribalism now in the middle of the 21st century. Then, these very countries are speaking against Iran’s elections by setting up TV channels to say that the Iranian elections are not democratic.”
After expressing his congratulations on the anniversary of the birth of Imam Ridha (pbuh), the Leader of the Islamic Revolution referred to his recent speech saying that the people’s presence in the Islamic Republic is based on a solid ideological background. He went on to say, “In the Islamic Republic, ‘Republic’ is one part and ‘Islamic’ is another. If the Republic aspect does not exist, the Islamic Republic will not achieve its goal.”
Imam Khamenei stated that the goal of the satanic powers is to separate the people from the Islamic Republic. He said, “It is a few months now that the American and British media are trying very hard to decrease the people’s presence at the ballot boxes. Of course, experience has shown that the people have done the opposite of what the enemy wanted. This will be the case this time too, God willing.”
He emphasized, “Elections are a sign of the people’s presence on the scene. The people’s presence on the scene means that the Islamic Republic is supported by the people. This will have an exceptional impact on the strength of the system of the Islamic Republic and the country. I mean to say that no other means of power brings as much strength as the people’s presence.”
Imam Khamenei added, “Those who are discouraging the people from participating in the elections are working to weaken the Islamic government in order to turn the country into a parade ground for terrorists.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution pointed out that a low turnout would lead to an increase in the pressure exerted by the enemy. He said, “The people’s support of the system must be shown to the enemy.”
In describing Iran as a rich, powerful country, Imam Khamenei said, “If the new president is elected by a significant majority of the votes, he will be a powerful president and can carry out great tasks. Our country has the capacity to do many things. Benefiting from this capacity requires strong people that enjoy extensive popular support.”
He stressed that the country’s elections have always been healthy. That which proves this statement is the fact that the presidents who have been elected in the country have had varying orientations and preferences. This shows that the elections in Iran are not based on one certain political orientation. In describing the upcoming election as being a competitive election, he stated that the differences of opinion and the disagreements between the presidential candidates over various matters, as shown in the televised debates, is proof that the Iranian elections do not follow a specific orientation.
He referred to the enemies’ opposition to the elections in Iran since the beginning of the Islamic Revolution and to the referendum for the Islamic Republic that was held in Iran. At the same time, he also indirectly criticized some Arab countries, which are acting against the Islamic Republic. He stated, “It is interesting that there are some countries that are run based on tribalism in the 21st century, and they have never experienced elections at all. The people in those countries do not even know what a ballot box is. But those countries start a 24 hours a day television station to say that Iran’s elections are not democratic.”
In inviting the youth to participate in the elections, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution stated, “The youth play a leading role in the affairs of the country, and this should be the case in the upcoming elections as well. Therefore, the youth should encourage people to participate in the elections.”
Imam Khamenei described the Iranian nation as a powerful nation that has been able to accomplish great feats such as conducting the Islamic Revolution, establishing the Islamic Republic and being victorious in the Imposed War. He referred to the manufacture of the Coronavirus vaccine by Iranian youth as being another example of the great achievements made by the Iranian nation despite the wishes of its enemies and said that they did not wait to receive this from the selfish hands of foreign powers. Imam Khamenei also spoke of Iran’s success in gaining the technology needed for 20% uranium enrichment for the purpose of manufacturing radiopharmaceuticals. He said, “This nation cannot be disheartened. Those who are making unreasonable analyses of the situation leading to the despair of the people are doing something very wrong.”
At the end of his statements, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution had certain advice for the organizers of the elections. He said, “First of all, they should take the necessary precautions so that the people may participate in the elections without their health being at risk at all. Secondly, they should eliminate the problem of a shortage of ballot papers in elections as has been experienced in previous elections. They should distribute ballot papers among election centers on time so that no center will face a shortage of these papers. Thirdly, we have heard that all necessary preparations have not been made in foreign countries. I ask the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Interior Affairs to make serious efforts to correct this matter and help the Iranians who wish to participate in the elections in foreign countries to be able to do so.”
Iran’s 13th presidential election will be held across the country on Friday, June 18, 2021 (Source: IRNA).
Leader stresses republican, Islamic aspects of Iran’s establishment, calls June 18 vote ‘decisive’
