Leader Describes Participation in Elections as Religious Duty

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Casting his ballot in the 4th Assembly of Experts, the 3rd local councils and the second by-elections of the 7th parliament elections, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei on Friday stressed that participation in elections is a religious duty.

“It is a religious, national and revolutionary duty of the Iranians to actively take part in the elections,” stressed the leader.

He said Iranians take part in the elections because they know that it is their religious, national and revolutionary duty, “while participation in elections means our involvement in the country’s fate and management at various levels.”

The major event in this turn is the Experts Assembly and the Councils elections but in some cities people will go to polls for the Majlis by-elections so there is a general motive, said Ayatollah Khamenei.

Lauding the deep understanding of the Iranian nation for its wide-scale participation in the elections, Ayatollah Khamenei said, “I am casting my vote at the early hours because we should fulfill good and pious acts including saying prayers at the earliest.”

He further expressed the hope that God help the Iranian nation to fulfill its great duty.

The Supreme Leader stated, “Iranians will fulfill this duty well within the next hours and will go to the polls and cast their votes,” reminding that the arrangement of two simultaneous elections is economical in terms of time, state facilities and the nation’s endeavors.

The 4th Assembly of Experts and 3rd Local Councils elections started across the country at 09:00 hours local time (0530 GMT) simultaneously on Friday.

The second by-elections of the 7th parliament also started in three constituencies of “Tehran, Rey, Shemiranat and Eslamshahr”, “Bam” and “Ahvaz” Friday.

Polling started in 63,377 stations inside the country.