Senior Cleric Lauds Iranians’ Massive Turnout in Elections
Addressing Friday prayers worshipers here in Tehran, Ayatollah Kazem Sediqi underlined that the revolutionary people of Iran are present in all scenes, including elections, to defend the Islamic Revolution in the 37th year after its victory.
He described the massive participation at polling stations across the country as creation of yet another epic by the Iranian people who remain ‘insightful and revolutionary’.
Elsewhere, Ayatollah Sediqi warned against the enemy’s attempts to make inroads in the country in different ways.
These attempts are dangerous but the Iranian people have proven to be steadfast in their allegiance with the late founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini (RA), and the martyrs of the Islamic Revolution, the senior cleric stated, adding that the people will not yield to any enemy.
The polls closed in Iran’s parliamentary and Assembly of Experts elections at 23:45 local time on Friday after voting was extended several times due to a massive voter turnout.
Some 55 million Iranians were eligible to vote in the two elections.
The process of counting ballots is now underway.
4,844 and 161 candidates were running for the parliament and the Assembly of Experts, respectively.
Some 55 million Iranians were eligible to cast their ballots at around 53,000 polling stations across the country.
There are 290 seats in the Iranian parliament, elected by direct vote of people in nationwide election for four years.
The Assembly of Experts is also a high-ranking body that elects and oversees the activities of the leader of the Islamic Revolution.
Members of the 88-seat assembly are directly elected to office by people for an eight-year term. It holds biannual meetings to appoint a new chairman.
