Individual votes determine election outcome

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says individual votes determine the fate of an election, adding that the law must be observed in every stage of the electoral process.

The Leader made the remarks in a Monday meeting with the officials in charge of holding Iran’s presidential and local council elections on June 14.

“No one should say my one vote will have no effect on the fate of the elections because these individual votes ultimately [become] millions of votes and determine the outcome of elections,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.

The Leader said the participation of people in the upcoming vote would ensure the immunity and progress of Iran, and speed up the country’s general move towards higher achievements.

Ayatollah Khamenei said the extensive responsibilities of the president in the Iranian Constitution make this election extremely important.

The Leader added that voters must consider the qualifications of the candidates and choose with care the person who will be tasked with running the country.

“…qualifications such as diligence, popularity and adherence to values must be taken into consideration,” Ayatollah Khamenei stated.

“Western and materialistic expressions such as winner and loser must not enter election discourse…in [every] election naturally the expectations of some people about their [desired] candidate are not met…but [these people] must behave according to the law,” the Leader said.

Ayatollah Khamenei said while efforts have been made to reduce popular interest in or delay the elections but such efforts had and would continue to fail.