Iran Grand Ayatollahs urge high turnout in presidential election

Iranian Grand Ayatollahs have called for a massive voter turnout in the June 14 election to choose the country’s 11th president.

In separate statements released on Thursday, Senior Iranian clerics, including Grand Ayatollahs Hossein Nouri-Hamedani, Nasser Makarem-Shirazi and Mohammad-Ali Alavi-Gorgani called for massive participation of voters in the presidential poll.

Ayatollah Nouri-Hamedani called on Iranians to go to the polls and said taking part in elections is “a religious and rational duty.” He said a high voter turnout will further disappoint the enemies and demonstrate the “power, unity and will” of the Iranian nation.

He also called on the Iranians to vote for the most qualified candidate, who is pious and revolutionary, would safeguard Islamic values and meet the basic needs of people.

Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi also said that going to the polls was a “religious, divine and social duty,” calling on all eligible voters to go to the polls.

Ayatollah Alavi-Gorgani also urged a high turnout in the election, urging voters to choose a person who believes in religious principles and the Islamic establishment.

He said the presence of people would once again disappoint the enemies who seek to create voter apathy in the election.

Six candidates, namely President of the Expediency Council’s Center for Strategic Research Hassan Rohani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili, Secretary of the Expediency Council Mohsen Rezaei, Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, former Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati, and former Telecommunications Minister Mohammad Gharazi are running in Friday’s presidential election.

The president of Iran is elected for a four-year term in a national election. Nearly 50.5 million Iranians are eligible to vote in Friday’s election.