Iranians report being harassed, assaulted during voting in West

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
30 Jun 2024 13:36

Reports detail incidents of Iranian voters encountering harassment and intimidation by anti-Iranian groups outside polling stations in Western nations during the presidential elections.

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Screenshot of a video showing an attack on a woman attempting to vote in Birmingham, United Kingdom, on Friday, June 28, 2024. (Social media)

Reports and footage indicate that Iranian nations 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.

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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.

Iraqi journalist, Najah Mohammad Ali wrote in a post on X that "the British police arrested a number of anti-Iranian elements who tried to disrupt the voting process of the 14th presidential election by attacking voters in the polling station in Birmingham."

🎥 الشرطة البريطانية تعتقل عدداً من المشاغبين الذين حاولوا عرقلة التصويت في أحد المراكز الانتخابية في برمنجهام..

✅ پلیس انگلیس تعدادی از عناصر ضد ایرانی را که با حمله به رای دهندگان در شعبه اخذ رای بیرمنگهام قصد اخلال در روند رای‌گیری چهاردهمین انتخابات ریاست‌جمهوری بودند،… pic.twitter.com/Hr2qMjdGek
— نجاح محمد علي (@najahmalii) June 28, 2024

Moreover, another independent journalist, Ali Alizadeh, wrote a long post on X outlining his voter experience among which he spoke of women who were seually abused and pro-monarchist protestors threatening him personally and others who had come to vote.

"Six women were election officials and ten or fifteen were voters. Most of the voters were women and middle-aged. Without exception, they were the targets of sexual harassment and were shocked," Alizadeh wrote, adding that "Despite all the Iranian elites and famous people living in England who had become political and active during the 'woman, life, freedom' movement and participated in demonstrations and thought that the fall of the Islamic Republic was certain, this same group was left with less than 50 members in London. A pressure group that is close to British racist groups like IDL and people like Tommy Robinson and is probably fed by the Israeli embassy in London. And of course, their biggest achievement is the verbal harassment of middle-aged Iranian women and their threats of sexual assault."

رفتم در مدرسه‌ای در شمال لندن رای دادم. جلوی در بیست نفر به اصطلاح معترض با پرچم شیر ‌‌و خورشید ایستاده بودند. با دوچرخه که از میانشان رد شدم شروع به فحاشی کردند. برایشان دست تکان دادم. حدود ده پلیس هم شرایط را کنترل می‌کردند تا کار به درگیری فیزیکی نکشد. یکی از پلیسها سمتم آمد… pic.twitter.com/lrMvzqFR64
— Ali Alizadeh (@jedaaal) June 28, 2024

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.

Iranian Election Commission: Pezeshkian, Jalili to second round

Iran's electoral commission head, Mohsen Eslami, officially announced, on June 29, that presidential candidates Masoud Pezeshkian and Saeed Jalili will proceed to a runoff in the upcoming presidential election scheduled for next Friday.

During a press conference to announce the election results, the head of the committee indicated that the turnout in the elections reached 40%, with Pezeshkian receiving (10,415,991 votes), while Jalili received (9,473,298 votes).

As for presidential candidate Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, he received (3,383,340 votes), and Mostafa Pourmohammadi received (206,397 votes).

The Iranian Ministry of Interior's Presidential Elections Commission announced the conclusion of the voting process and the commencement of vote counting at midnight on Friday.

This followed three extensions of the electoral deadline, originally scheduled to conclude at six o’clock Friday evening. Extensions were granted initially until eight o'clock, then ten o'clock, and finally until midnight, Tehran time.

Iran held its 14th presidential election to elect a successor to the late President Ebrahim Raisi, in 58,640 polling stations across the country and 340 stations in more than 95 countries.