Iran – Sham Elections Second Round – No. 2
Low turnout in the election spectacle continues until 1 PM despite threats and enticements from repressive organs and the heavy presence of suppressive forces
Based on reports received from 157 cities in 31 provinces of the country, the regime’s polling stations remain empty until 1 PM, and the regime’s tricks, threats, and enticements to force people to vote have been unsuccessful.
In Tehran, the regime transported 14 buses of villagers to the Afsarieh Grand Mosque to vote. During the morning hours, no one came to vote at the polling stations in Sham Asbi Mosque, Seyed al-Shohada Mosque in Moshiriyeh, and Amir al-Momenin Mosque in Zarandieh, Tehran. At Al-Mahdi Mosque, 4 people voted, and at polling station 550 in Pardis Square, 9 people voted.
In Isfahan, there are no voters at the polling stations in Imam Mohammad Baqer Mosque and Bab al-Rahma Mosque. Only 2 voters came to the Rahim Khan Mosque station. In Bandar Abbas, there are no voters at the polling stations in Farrokhi Elementary School, the Grand Mosque, and Motahari High School. In Kordkuy, 9 people are at the Nabi Akram Mosque station. In Rasht, 7 voters are present at the Haft-e Tir Elementary School station. In Mashhad, only 3 people are voting and 15 Basij members are present at the Javad al-A’emmeh Mosque station. In Mahshahr, there are no voters at the Zein al-Abedin Husseiniyeh, Bani Bashir Husseiniyeh, and Vesal Mosque stations, and there is one voter at the Bab al-Hawa’ij Husseiniyeh station. In Karaj, only one person came to vote in the early morning hours at the Ranjbarpour Elementary School station and the Kheradmandi Elementary School station.
Last night in Izeh, people severely beat a representative of the clerical parliament who was campaigning for Saeed Jalili (a presidential candidate). The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has held briefing sessions in various government offices in different cities, pleading with employees to vote for Jalili. In some military barracks, soldiers have been promised 4 days of leave if they vote. In Hamadan, since yesterday, a rumor has been spread among welfare recipients that if they do not vote, their monthly rations of rice, oil, sugar, and 6,000,000 rials (Iranian currency) in cash will be cut off.
In Tehran and Gorgan, Jalili has deposited 20 to 30 million rials for many social security retirees and sent an accompanying text message signed “Your brother, Jalili.” In Rasht, two female Basij members are going door-to-door by car, saying they will give both money and food for voting for Jalili. Mercenary professors at universities have threatened students that if they don’t participate in the elections, they won’t be given grades.
The regime has deployed IRGC, SSF (State Security Force), and other repressive organs forces in all cities, and special units have been put on alert in all cities. In Kamraniyeh, Tehran, SSF strike teams were patrolling with five motorcycles. At the intersection of Shariati and Mirdamad, special units have been deployed with seven vehicles and one van. The number of suppressive forces is much higher than last week.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI)
5 July 2024
