TEHRAN (Mehr News Agency)-“Basijis will show their political insight by their vast participation in the upcoming election,” said the Brigadier General Sayyed Mohammad Hejazi, the Basij force commander.

“The Basijis not only participate in the upcoming election but also encourage a massive public turnout,” Mehr News Agency quoted Hejazi as saying at the beginning of Basij-Week.

“Basijis feel duty-bound to struggle for a massive public turnout in election as demanded by the supreme leader,” he added. The Basij commander claimed that one of the practical programs of this force was to inform people of internal, regional and international political issues saying, “The Basijis constitute an aware portion of the society and are informed of periodical situations and necessities.”

“That Basijis must have political insight. Awareness of daily issues is a necessity but they never join political factions,” he stated. Hejazi added, “There is a wide difference between political actions and joining political factions. As an example, participating in election is a political action which will be performed by the Basijis.”