TEHRAN — Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has described every vote cast as a “slap in the face of enemy”.

“People’s turnout in the elections is not only about voting or electing a representative,” Major General Salami said on Thursday, Press TV reported.

“Every vote by people is like a slap in the face of the enemy that hopes people would not take part in the elections,” Salami remarked.

The general argued that the Iranian nation has always astonished the world with its turnout at the polls, hoping that the same happens in the Friday elections as well.

People would create a beautiful turn of events through their participation in the elections, he said.

Voting for parliamentary elections began across Iran on Friday at 8:00 a.m., with nearly 58 million Iranians, out of a population of more than 80 million, qualified to vote.

Senior officials urged people to vote.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said, “Firstly, election day is a national celebration and I congratulate this celebration to all dear countrymen across the country. Secondly, it is the day of the materialization of the civil rights of the nation…. Thirdly, this is a religious duty.”

Ayatollah Khamenei also called on all those interested in the country’s “national interests” to vote.

“The fact is that elections guarantee the country’s national interests (and) anybody who is interested in the country’s national interests should vote.”

President Hassan Rouhani expressed hope that the “best” candidates would find a seat in the next parliament.

The president hoped that a “more active and more enthusiastic” parliament would be formed to approve legislations more speedily to better help resolve problems and monitor the performance of other bodies. 

The next parliament is being formed through the people’s vote, the president said, adding, “Today the Iranian people are forming the country’s next Majlis with their own choice.”

The president also said Imam Khomeini always insisted that elections be held on time and since the 1979 Islamic revolution there has been no interruption in holding elections and this is “unprecedented in the history of democracy”.

MH/PA