Reporting by PMOI/MEK
Iran, February 14, 2020—The Elections Department of the Iranian regime’s Interior Ministry said the elections campaign for the upcoming February 21 Majlis (parliamentary) elections began on Thursday, February 13. This comes at a time when internal rifts and a major crisis is escalating inside the mullahs’ regime over this issue.
Reports of Iranians intending to boycott the upcoming elections are reaching a climax that even the regime’s own die-hard factions are publicly discussing this subject. One state outlet said signs were seen raised during the recent February 11 pro-regime rallies marking the 1979 revolution that encouraged people to boycott the Majlis elections.
February 11 – Tehran, #Iran
Video shows the unprecedented boycotting of the pro-regime rally marking the 1979 revolution.
The mullahs' claimed "millions" attended the march. Footage clearly shows otherwise.pic.twitter.com/q7YhbmevJ0— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) February 13, 2020
This public outrage and intentions to boycott the parliamentary election come at a time when regime officials are constantly discussing the massive disqualification of thousands of Majlis elections candidates by the Guardian Council, a watchdog body of 12 members highly loyal to the regime’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
“Those seeking to take part in the parliamentary elections should refrain from disappointing the people and voicing deceptive slogans,” said Guardian Council chief Ahmad Jannati, further shedding light on the regime’s escalating internal disputes.
Iranian regime President Hassan Rouhani had strong remarks on this matter. “They say, go to a store and choose something to buy, and if there are only one brand and one kind item, then you don’t need to choose,” Rouhani said, indirectly attacking the Guardian Council for disqualifying members of his faction from participating in the upcoming elections.
Rouhani’s cronies took a step further, and in a statement titled “Report to the people,” published on the next day, said, “The outcome of the vote for 160 seats in the Majlis (parliament) has been predefined and there’s no competition, not even between the principalists. In 70 other seats, there will be a very weak competition.”
What this means is that the results of the elections are already clear. As Rouhani has said, “one brand and one kind of item." In other words, the only brand is that of the mullahs, and the only items to buy are those that are approved by the supreme leader.
#Iran’s regime fails in its propaganda efforts on the anniversary of the 1979 revolutionhttps://t.co/JPnjF3Pn6L
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) February 12, 2020
All the while, First Vice President Es’hagh Jahangiri called on unity, realizing a popular elections boycott will target the mullahs’ regime in its entirety. “Our (state) is in special circumstances… We should all participate in the elections,” he said.
Other state-run outlets are publishing reports voicing unprecedented remarks and concerns about the regime’s bleak future. “The November 2019 protests, targeting the Ukrainian passenger airliner and the resulting reactions have left people more hopeless than ever before. They are starting to believe that the possibility of change through the ballot box is very low and out of reach… a large number of people are more disappointed than ever before since the 1979 revolution,” the piece reads in part.
The state-run Ebtekar daily wrote, “The country is facing special circumstances… and the social environment these days are tense like never before.”
There are also reports of candidates handing out incentives to gain people’s votes. “These days a number of Majlis elections candidates from Ardabil Province (northwest Iran) are providing lunches, dinners, handing out meat, poultry, rice, macaroni, and other edible goods among people in various villages and poor areas of numerous cities, along with valuable gifts to influential figures, members of trade unions and even private corporations,” the report reads in numerous state media outlets.
Iranian officials confess to widespread corruption in parliamentary elections#Iranhttps://t.co/PHmWZofEKO
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) February 10, 2020
Ali Khamenei, the regime’s supreme leader, had recently openly pleaded with the people to participate in the elections.
In his remarks, the regime’s supreme leader revealed why he and other regime officials are so desperate for widespread participation in the elections. “First, [the elections] guarantee the country’s security if all the people take part in the election. Why? Because the enemies who threaten the country fear the popular support more than our weapons; Yes, they fear our missiles too, but they fear [the elections] more. Taking part in the election shows the rule’s popular support and that brings security,” Khamenei said.
“Second, it shows the people’s strength,” Khamenei added, while also admitting that “there are problems in the country” and that “our failures have made problems for the people and they have some objections.” But nonetheless, he expects the people to participate in the elections to show the “determination, power and vision of the people,” which in essence translates to “support for the regime.”
While ridiculously calling the regime’s elections “the most honest elections in the world,” Khamenei begged for participation and said, “Some may not like me, but they should vote for the sake of the country’s prestige and security.”
Iranian opposition President Maryam Rajavi, head of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) has been calling for a national boycott of the regime’s sham parliamentary elections. “Fearing widespread boycott of sham election, today, Rouhani repeatedly implored the people to not stay away from the polls. As a patriotic duty, Iranians are determined to boycott this farce, as their bond with martyrs, especially the 1,500 martyrs of the Nov. 2019 uprising,” Madam Rajavi said.
Fearing widespread boycott of sham election, today, Rouhani repeatedly implored the people to not stay away from the polls. As a patriotic duty,Iranians are determined to boycott this farce, as their bond with martyrs, especially the 1,500 martyrs of the Nov. 2019 uprising. #Iran
— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) February 11, 2020
