Iran's presidential candidates wrap up campaigns ahead of runoff vote
4 Min Read
Saeed Jalili and Masoud Pezeshkian began their runoff campaign on Sunday, engaging in extensive rallies, meetings, and participation in two consecutive televised presidential debates.
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Iranian citizens who live in Syria cast their ballots for the presidential election at a polling station in Syria, on Friday, June 28, 2024. (AP)
Campaigning for Iran's 2024 presidential runoff election concluded on Thursday, less than 24 hours before voters head to polls on Friday to elect the successor of late President Ebrahim Raisi, who tragically passed away in a helicopter crash alongside several other officials on May 19.
This comes as none of the four candidates in the June 28 election secured an absolute majority, leading to a runoff between former health minister and senior lawmaker Masoud Pezeshkian, a reformist who received 10.4 million votes, and former nuclear negotiator and security official Saeed Jalili, a principalist candidate who garnered 9.4 million votes.
The two candidates began their runoff campaign on Sunday, engaging in extensive rallies, meetings, and participation in two consecutive televised presidential debates and other TV programs.
Iran’s Constitutional Council spokesperson, Hadi Tahan Nazif, officially confirmed the results of the first round of the country's 14th presidential election on Sunday.
Approximately 61 million eligible voters, both within Iran and abroad, are expected to participate, according to the Interior Ministry, with around 60,000 polling stations established nationwide and hundreds of others in 100 countries.
Mohsen Eslami, the spokesperson for Iran's election headquarters, stated that the number of voting stations for the runoff election remains unchanged from the first round, though adjustments might occur in certain areas if needed. He mentioned that initial election results could be announced as early as Saturday morning.
Iran issues warning over potential disruption of UK presidential runoff
In a related context, Iran's Charge d'affaires to London, Ali Matinfar, issued a warning against any attempts to disrupt the voting process for Iranian expatriates in the UK, emphasizing that those involved will face consequences.
In an interview with IRNA on Thursday, Matinfar highlighted the Islamic Republic's coordination with UK police to ensure election security, emphasizing British law enforcement's commitment to addressing any potential incidents during the runoff vote.
Matinfar also mentioned that the Iranian Embassy is gathering evidence of reported insults during the first round of the election and encouraged Iranian expatriates who experienced insults or threats to report these incidents via email to the embassy.
He emphasized that evidence collected will be provided to British authorities to ensure the safety of Iranian citizens.
Why it matters
During the first round of Iranian presidential voting on June 28, individuals opposing the Islamic Republic gathered outside polling stations in an attempt to cause chaos and disrupt the voting process.
The Metropolitan Police Department has committed to investigating incidents of assault on Iranian voters in London. Reports indicate that seven individuals were arrested for disturbances in London, Manchester, and Birmingham.
Iran's Charge d'affaires to London affirmed that similar to the first round, five polling stations will be set up in London, with additional stations in Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle, Glasgow, and Cardiff, enabling Iranian expatriates to participate in voting.
Not an isolated incident
Reports and footage indicate that Iranian nationals heading to designated polling stations in several Western countries on Friday encountered verbal, physical, and sexual abuse.
In at least seven countries including Britain, the United States, France, Germany, Sweden, Australia, and New Zealand, Iranian voters reported incidents of harassment and intimidation by individuals described as anti-Iranian aggressors waiting outside polling locations.
Some of these attackers have been linked to terrorist organizations such as the Mujahedin-e-Khalq (MEK), while others seem to be associated with monarchist or separatist groups.
Furthermore, according to reports, similar incidents occurred in other Western countries. With Iran's presidential elections heading to a run-off, Iranians living in Western nations have expressed fear about exercising their right to vote. Some have voiced surprise and frustration at the lack of action by Western authorities, accusing them of allowing anti-Iranian groups to openly harass citizens intentionally.
Read more: Sayyed Khamenei urges Iranians to participate in presidential runoff
