Crescent International
Tehran, Saturday May 20, 2017
In keeping with the tradition of past presidential elections, Iranian voters returned President Hassan Rouhani to power for a second term with a comfortable majority in the May 19 presidential election.
According to Iran’s Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, a total of 41,220,131 votes had been cast. He gave these figures at a press briefing early today (Saturday May 20) and declared that President Rouhani was the winner of Friday’s election securing 23,549,616 votes, or 57 percent of the total votrs cast.
Seyyed Ebrahim Raeisi who came second, secured 15,786,449 votes, or 38.5 percent. Mostafa Aqa-Mirsalim and Mostafa Hashemi-Taba, the third and fourth candidates in the four-member race, received 478,215 and 215,450 votes respectively.
In his message following the election result, the Rahbar, Imam Seyyed Ali Khamenei commended the people of Iran for their “massive and epic” turnout in the country’s twin elections (presidential and local councils). The turnout was 70 percent.
“The winner of yesterday’s elections is you, the Iranian people, and the Islamic establishment, which has managed to win the increasing trust of this big millat (Ummah of Iran) despite the enemies’ plot and effort,” the Rahbar said in his message.
He lauded the “massive and enthusiastic” participation of the people, who stood patiently in lines snaking several blocks to reach the ballot box. It was “a clear indication of the strength of the pillars of Islamic democracy,” the Rahbar said.
He urged the people to thank Allah for their success in holding elections. Further, following the hectic days and weeks preceding elections that are behind them, the Rahbar advised the people to focus on unity and public solidarity now. He said these were important factors in boosting the power and might of the Islamic Republic.
The also had advice for the re-elected president and those that will be part of his administration to pursue “highly-motivated and thoughtful and youthful efforts” in order to do away with the country’s problems and do not neglect this right path even for a moment.
Turning to the issue of international relations, the Rahbar urged the incoming administration to maintain “national dignity while observing wisdom in international relations” and make efforts to boost the country’s international might.
The peaceful nature of Iran’s elections, free from manipulation and rigging, stands in stark contrast to the chaos that has engulfed most countries in the region. Most do not hold elections at all considering them to be bid‘ah.
Take the case of the medieval kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Any call for elections there will result in the person immediately being dispatch to the chopping bloc.
This head-chopping regime claims to be ‘leader’ of the Muslim (‘Sunni’) world. It does not even represent the people of the Arabian Peninsula much less the 1.6 billion Muslims worldwide.
Not surprisingly, the regime and its equally barbaric tribal allies are terrified of the Islamic Republic because it has a vibrant political culture and a long tradition of free and fair elections.
The tribal dinosaurs are definitely destined for extinction, sooner rather than later.
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