The leader of the Revolution and the Islamic Republic of Iran, Sayyed Ali Khamenei, praised the Iranian people for their enthusiastic turnout in Friday's presidential election, lauding their resilience against boycott calls as a "remarkable and enduring achievement."

Millions of voters participated in polling stations nationwide during the runoff election, electing veteran parliamentarian Masoud Pezeshkian as president in a closely contested race against former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili.

"This great move in confronting the artificial furor of boycotting the elections, which the enemies of the Iranian nation had launched to induce despair and deadlock, is a brilliant and unforgettable work," the leader said in a message on Saturday.

"All the honorable candidates and all those who worked day and night for weeks for the victory of each of them share in its honor and reward," he added.

Sayyed Khamenei hailed the Iranian nation's ability to prepare for a presidential race within a short constitutional time limit following the tragic loss of former President Ebrahim Raisi and hold "free and transparent elections on two consecutive Fridays" to choose the president from among several candidates with the majority of votes as a blessing from God.

"The respected electoral officials fulfilled their duties with the necessary speed and full trust, and the dear people came to the arena with a sense of responsibility and created a warm and passionate scene and filled the ballot boxes in two rounds with more than 55 million votes," the leader said.

"Now that the Iranian nation has elected its president, I congratulate the nation and the president-elect and all those working in this sensitive juncture, especially the enthusiastic youths at the election headquarters of the candidates, and recommend everyone to cooperate and think for the progress and increasing honor of the country," he added.

He further stressed the necessity of treading on the path pursued by the late President Ebrahim Raisi.

"I also recommend President-elect Pezeshkian trust in God the Most Merciful and look forward to long and bright horizons, and in the continuation of the path of Martyr Raeisi. He should employ the most of the ample capacities and potentials of the country, especially the young, revolutionary and faithful human resources, for the comfort of the people and the progress of the country," Sayyed Khamenei added.

Moreover, he reiterated his gratitude to the armed forces for preserving the security of the country during the elections and all other officials and government apparatuses who played a part in holding the transparent votes.

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Earlier, in a message to the Union of Islamic Students Associations in Europe and America, Sayyed Khamenei praised the union's longstanding reputation and described the continuation of their activities as a promising development.

“This collective presence – in its own capacity – can play a role in the current complex issues of the world. The ability to have an impact on major issues depends more on the motivation, faith, and confidence of the activists involved, than on their numbers or how well-equipped they are and this valuable asset, praise God, is present and evident in you, the faithful and Revolutionary Iranian youth,” he stated.

Read next: Elections help Iran defeat its enemies: Sayyed Ali Khamenei

The leader highlighted that students are well-versed in critical global issues, including longstanding and recent global conflicts and struggles, such as the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza. 

“The most prominent is the moral, political, and social failures of the West, its politicians, and Western civilization. The most instructive is the inability of liberal democracy to establish freedom of expression and their fatal neglect of the issue of economic and social justice,” Sayyed Khamenei underscored.

The Leader also pointed out the significant current issue of widespread pro-Palestinian protests, particularly among students in the United States and Europe. He emphasized that the West Asia region and Iran face challenges, underscoring these as opportunities for reflection, action, and leadership for esteemed organizations like theirs. 

Iranian Leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei casts his vote for the presidential runoff election in #Tehran. #Iranelections2024 pic.twitter.com/cX97o72Yfk

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) July 5, 2024

Yesterday, on Friday, the second round of the Iranian presidential elections commenced featuring candidates Saeed Jalili from the conservative movement and Masoud Pezeshkian from the reformist movement.

At the start of voting, Sayyed Khamenei cast his ballot at a polling station in the capital, Tehran.

Sayyed Khamenei emphasized the importance of the Iranian people exercising their "will and determination" to conclude the electoral process and elect a new president for the republic, adding that there is greater incentive than ever for people to participate in the elections.

"I've heard that people's enthusiasm and interest have increased more than before," he added, hoping that would be the case.