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Iran Election 2021: Role of MEK’s Resistance Units in Nationwide Boycott of Sham Elections

The MEK’s network, known as the Resistance Units, has been spreading anti-regime slogans and calls for boycotting the regime’s sham presidential election across Iran.
The MEK’s network, known as the Resistance Units, has been spreading anti-regime slogans and calls for boycotting the regime’s sham presidential election across Iran.

Iran’s sham presidential election is set to be held on June 18, 2021. As the date approaches, more Iranians join the campaign of boycotting the regime’s sham presidential election. Iranian opposition, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), plays a leading role in this campaign.   

“The MEK and enemies are trying to discourage the people from the future and participating in the upcoming election,” said Mohammadreza Yazdi, head of the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) Mohammad Rasulullah Brigade, tasked with controlling Tehran.   

While admitting to people’s ongoing economic and social problems, Yazdi said: “The MEK and other enemies are trying to discourage the people from the future by participating in these economic problems and discouraging them from participating in the election.”   

In recent days, state-run media have underlined that Iranians will boycott the regime’s sham presidential election.   

“A significant part of public opinion in this period is at odds with the elections. This opposition has reached all Iranian families,” state-run Sharq daily warned on Wednesday.  

“If participation is low, it is considered anti-security measures. The opposition, inside and outside the country, is announcing that we should not participate in the elections to undermine the legitimacy of the system,” wrote the state-run Etemad daily on Thursday. “If the elections are not passionate and a high percentage of citizens do not participate, it will move in the direction of the opposition’s demands, and this issue has nothing to do with legitimacy,” Etemad adds.  

MEK Resistance Units Activities   

The MEK’s network, known as the Resistance Units, has been spreading anti-regime slogans and calls for boycotting the regime’s sham presidential election across Iran. According to MEK, these slogans were spread on various city walls and public places and were widely welcomed by the public. The MEK Resistance Units also installed posters of the Iranian Resistance leader Massoud Rajavi and the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) Maryam Rajavi with the slogans “A strong no to the religious dictatorship, yes to a democratic republic,” “Down with Khamenei, hail to Rajavi” and “Iranian people’s vote is regime change.”  

During the past week, MEK supporters and Resistance Units in various cities in Iran, especially in Tehran, posted banners and placards, wrote graffiti, and distributed leaflets calling for a boycott of the mullahs’ sham presidential election.  

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Some of these slogans were: “Maryam Rajavi: No to the rule of the mullahs, no to religious tyranny, no to oppression and plunder, yes to a democratically-elected republic,” “Maryam Rajavi: A popular uprising is awaiting the mullahs, and will lead to their overthrow,” “Maryam Rajavi: The Iranian people’s free vote: No to the clerical regime, yes to freedom and democracy,” “Massoud Rajavi: nationwide boycott of the election, a response to the murderers of 1,500 martyrs of November 2019 uprising,” “Massoud Rajavi: Boycotting the sham election is a patriotic duty,” “Massoud Rajavi: Our vote is regime change, and boycott of the sham election,” “My vote is regime change, yes to a democratically-elected republic,” “Our vote: Boycott of the election farce, yes to a democratically elected republic, my vote is regime change.”.”  

In April alone, over 250 areas in 27 provinces across Iran witnessed MEK activities calling for a full boycott of the regime’s sham presidential election in June. Iranians have widely welcomed the Resistance Units’ efforts to boycott the regime’s farce presidential election. The Resistance Units have covered the city walls with anti-regime slogans. Walls with the writings “Down with Khamenei” and “No to religious dictatorship, yes to a democratic republic” have become common in many cities.  

In several interviews with Simaye Azadi, an Iranian opposition satellite channel, many members of the Resistance Units spoke of their motivation for taking the risks of being arrested, tortured, and even executed but continuing the struggle for freedom.  

“I have a bachelor’s degree, but I’m working as a construction worker. Many people like me are suffering from discrimination and pressure. The MEK is the only group that has paid such a heavy price for freedom and steadfastness,” one Resistance Unit member said. These activities express the Iranian people’s desire for regime change.  

Therefore, the regime officials and state-run media express fear of a nationwide boycott of the regime’s elections and its consequences for the regime amid its increasing infightings.  

“The political atmosphere is at the height of fragmentation, and society is bewildered and undecided. This is a great danger that will be crushing if we do not act and the political division and hostility continue,” Sharq daily warned the regime officials on Thursday.