TEHRAN — Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Leader of the Islamic Revolution, on Thursday supported the legal procedure followed by the Guardian Council in screening the presidential hopefuls, noting “the scene of elections is a place for competition to serve the people.”

Speaking with members of the Parliament via a videoconference, the Leader stated that the people would participate in the elections in large numbers because competent and highly capable managers have entered the election race to resolve the people’s economic problems. 

He also advised the candidates to avoid imitating the presidential debates in the U.S. and Europe and be committed to Islamic ethics.

Thanking all those who registered to run for president, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution said, “The honorable Guardian Council did what it deemed necessary according to its responsibility.”

“Candidates should present their plans to solve the economic issues and convince them that they can resolve those problems.”

Of course, the Leader said, not confirming a candidate “does not mean that a person is incompetent.”

He also thanked those candidates who respected the decisions of the honorable Guardian Council despite the fact that their competence was not confirmed.

“I have to thank those whose qualification was not approved and was not ascertained by the council and who reacted nobly. Some of them even encouraged people to participate in the election,” Ayatollah Khamenei remarked.

‘Elections take one day, effects last for several years’

Inviting the people to participate in the elections in large numbers, Ayatollah Khamenei said, “Dear people of Iran, the elections will take one day, but its effects will last for several years. You should participate in the elections. You should know that elections belong to you. You should ask God to guide you to that which is correct and true and to the most qualified candidate.”

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution added those who encourage the people to ignore the ballot boxes are not concerned about the destiny of the people. 

On the enemies’ policy against the elections in Iran, he stated, “Obviously, the enemies are opposed to our elections. Since the first day and for many years now, they have been opposed to them. Up until today, they have always focused on discouraging the people from participating in the elections by saying that the elections may be rigged and that there may be cheating. They propagandize against the people’s participation in elections. Later, when the people do participate and there is an enthusiastic turnout in the elections, they say that the elections have obviously been ‘engineered’ and that it was clear beforehand who would be the winner. This scenario has always existed. After a person is announced as the winner of the elections – either the one whom they guessed or someone else – they say, ‘what difference does it make? The president has no authority.’ This has been the enemy’s policy in their propaganda over the course of all these years, and they are pursuing the same policy today.”

The Leader said he did not believe that people were concerned about the names of candidates.

“Rather, the people are looking for an individual who has high managerial capabilities and firm will and performance to solve the country’s issues. And it doesn’t matter to people what title that person holds or which party he hails from. Of course, that may be important to the political factions, but not to the general populace,” Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out.

The Leader thanked all the individuals who nominated to run. “Many of these people undoubtedly entered the scene because they felt a responsibility [before the people].”
The Leader said virtual space and foreign policy were not the immediate concerns of the people.
“Presently, the main and the urgent issue of the country is the economy, and the candidates should present their plans to solve the economic issues and convince them that they can resolve those problems.”

Leader asks presidential rivals to observe Islamic ethics 

At the end of his statements, Ayatollah Khamenei offered words of advice to presidential candidates, asking them to observe Islamic ethics and to avoid doing something that would cause Iran’s elections to resemble American elections. 

He stated, “My first advice to presidential candidates is that you should not turn the elections into a battle for power. You should not look at typical American elections and the elections in some European countries as they have been a source of disgrace for them. The field of elections is a place for competition to serve the people.”

SA/PA