TEHRAN - The Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) released a statement on Tuesday stressing the importance of high voter turnout in the parliamentary and Assembly of Experts elections scheduled for Friday, March 1.

The IRGC emphasizes that high voter turnout strengthens the nation's power and national security, saying that participation in the election will thwart "enemies' evil wishes and plots."

According to the statement, elections are a manifestation of Iran's "religious democracy," allowing the people to determine their fate. 

The IRGC notes that high voter turnout and "faithful and conscious voting" are crucial elements in the electoral system. 

"Participation boosts the country's power, value, and credibility, especially during challenging times," the IRGC added, reiterating that the maximum participation also discourages foreign interventions and propaganda aimed at disheartening the Iranian nation.

The statement portrays the March 1 elections as an opportunity to demonstrate the Iranian people's "consciousness and awareness," calling for responsible participation and utilizing the right to vote as a way to address challenges.

The IRGC questions the logic behind "obstructions and the enemy's efforts to discourage people," saying that the significance of participation in the elections lies in the Islamic system's dependence on the people's participation as the "most important levers of power".

The statement concludes by reiterating the IRGC's commitment to providing a safe and secure environment for the elections and urges the Iranian people, especially the youth, to participate actively in the polls.

Iran is scheduled to hold the sixth term of elections for the Assembly of Experts and the 12th term of elections for the parliament on March 1.

Earlier in February, the Constitutional Council approved 14,200 candidates for the parliamentary election.

The Constitutional Council spokesperson, Hadi Tahan Nazif, stated that a comprehensive evaluation process resulted in the qualification of a total of 14,200 candidates for parliament.

He also stated that the number of candidates for the Assembly of Experts election increased to 144 people.

On February 17, Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi announced that 103 parties and 20 electoral coalitions declared their readiness for the late winter election.

Vahidi commended the qualification of an impressive 15,000 candidates for the parliamentary election. He highlighted the diverse backgrounds of the candidates, noting that among them are 1,100 professors, 250 doctors, 1,700 teachers, 400 judges, and 1,700 women, showcasing the breadth of expertise and representation within the pool of qualified candidates.

On February 21, the Interior Ministry made a significant announcement regarding the parliamentary elections: as of early February 22, candidates were officially allowed to kick off their electoral campaigns.

On February 20, the Interior Ministry unveiled the comprehensive list of political factions contesting the election.
 
The list comprises a total of 74 national parties, 31 provincial parties, and 21 political alliances, reflecting the diverse landscape of political representation. 

Notably, there are two distinct elections on the horizon: the Assembly of Experts election, which aims to elect 88 members for an extended eight-year term, and the parliamentary election, which will determine representatives for a standard four-year term.