Elections Guarantee Islamic Republic: Iran’s President

“The poll is a guarantee of the survival and might of the Islamic Establishment,” President Rouhani said at a Tuesday session of the High Council of Cultural Revolution in Tehran.

One of the reasons that the Islamic Republic presses ahead vigorously despite all plots and woes is the strong support it receives from the nation, in the form of votes, he explained.

Earlier this month, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei also noted that massive presence of people in the upcoming elections will secure the country against hostile schemes.

Iran is going to hold the Assembly of Experts and the parliamentary elections simultaneously on February 26.

Around 6,300 candidates, including some 600 women and dozens of Iranians from the religious minorities, are running for the parliament. There are 290 seats in the Iranian parliament up for grabs.

Hundreds of candidates are also running for the 88-member Assembly of Experts, a high-ranking body that elects leader of the Islamic Revolution.

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.

Around 500 journalists working for the news media of 29 countries are also expected to cover the polls.

According to Iran’s interior minister, some 129,000 ballot boxes will be available in 53,000 stations all over the country for the Friday elections.

Deputy Police Chief Brigadier General Eskandar Momeni has also announced that 250,000 forces have been mobilized to ensure security of the elections.