It is necessary for the whole eligible voters to cast their ballots in the February 26 elections for choosing members of the Assembly of Experts and the Parliament, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said on Saturday in an address to a huge crowd of people in Tehran coming from the city of Qom.
“We insist, like the past, that everybody should go to the ballot box, even those who disapprove of the Establishment and the leadership, because the election belongs to the nation, to Iran and to the Islamic Republic Establishment,” Imam Khamenei stressed.
The Leader explained that elections contribute to the survival of the Revolution, because people’s action to feel responsibility and vote will stymie the enemy’s plots.
The maximum turnout in the elections will strengthen the Islamic Establishment, guarantee constant provision of security, add to the Iranian nation’s credibility in the world, and boost the grandeur of the Islamic Republic in the eyes of enemies, Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out.
The Leader further highlighted the significant position of the parliament in the country, saying the legislature plays an unparalleled role by regulating laws and defining a path for different administrations.
As regards the Assembly of Experts, Ayatollah Khamenei dismissed the notion of its ceremonial post with occasional meetings, stressing that the Assembly has the critical duty of electing the Leader, namely the person who supervises the Revolution’s progress.
The Assembly of Experts and the parliamentary elections will be held simultaneously on February 26.
There will be 290 seats in the Iranian parliament and 88 in the Assembly of Experts up for grabs.
Members of the assembly are directly elected to office by people for an eight-year term. It holds biannual meetings to appoint a new chairman.