Leader Calls for Wide Public Participation in Elections

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei called on the Iranians to actively participate in the upcoming elections of the Experts Assembly, city councils and parliament on Friday.

Speaking in a meeting with people from different walks of life here on Wednesday, the Leader noted that enemies are striving to discourage people from voting, and said, “Those who allege to be proponents of democracy and populism seek to reduce the number of voters in Iran in a bid to undermine the stance of religious populism-based institutions and bodies of Iran and to accuse the Islamic Republic of autocracy.”

“But Iranians will make all such plots and conspiracies fall flat as our nation is well informed of the underlying intentions of the enemies of Iran and Islam,” he continued.

Ayatollah Khamenei underlined that vigilant public participation in the Friday elections shows preparedness of the Iranian nation to the world, and said the lustrous participation of the Iranian nation in all the elections during the last 27 years illustrates the profound belief of the nation and ruling system in populism and public participation and partnership in determining the fate of the country.

He also pointed out that public participation in the country’s management is not restricted to elections, and added, “Rather, its profound and extensive effects could also be readily observed in the increasing progress of the country and in the promotion of Iran’s regional and global standing.”

The Supreme Leader further pointed to the Iranian nation’s insistence on the restoration of the country’s nuclear rights as a further manifestation of national will and determination as well as an instance of informed presence of the public on the scene of politics and management of the country.

“As regards the nuclear issue, great powers insisted that Iran should not gain access to hi-tech, including nuclear technology, but our country succeeded in acquiring this branch of science as a direct result of insistence on national rights by the people,” he said, reminding that the Iranian nation should wait for further progress in the area of the nuclear technology.

Ayatollah Khamenei also said that public sensitivity to the country’s basic issues, including Iran’s progress, as well as loyalty of the people and officials to the Islamic and revolutionary values combined with public concerns about such global and regional issues as Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine are indications of public presence on the scene, and the very fact that Iranians are a live nation.

To conclude his words, the supreme leader stressed that people are the main owners and decision-makers of Iran, underlining that the future of the country is guaranteed due to the same fact.