Leader Hails People’s Voting

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei thanked the Iranian people for their participation in the parliamentary election on Friday, despite hostile efforts by enemies to discourage the nation from going to the polls. 
Pointing to the foreign media's propaganda campaign against the elections, he said Iranians obtained a desirable result in this important test. 
"This negative advertising started a few months ago and increased with the approach of the election day. Over the final two days, they spared no effort to dissuade people from voting on the grounds of an illness and a virus," he was quoted as saying by Leader.ir. 
He was referring to the recent epidemic of a new coronavirus disease that originated in central China and has reached Iran, infecting 43 confirmed cases and taking the lives of eight people up to the time of the report. 
The Leader noted that the enemies' hostility with the Iranian nation is not only targeted at economic, cultural and religious sectors, but also includes their democratic activities. 
"They are even opposed to Iranian elections because they do not want people's participation in voting in the name of religion … to be recognized as a fact," he said. 
Holding elections in an Islamic government, according to Ayatollah Khamenei, debunks the enemies' claims that religion is opposed to freedom and democracy. 
“It shows that Islam is a perfect example of a genuine democracy and Iran's 37 rounds of polls over 41 years indicate the Muslim state's unique initiative to promote this system of government,” he added. 
The Leader called on all Iranians to recognize the enemies and be alert to their plots. 
Ayatollah Khamenei said for every thousand people in the enemies' front that are working against Iran in various sectors, millions need to be ready in the Iranian front to defend the country and carry out reciprocal attacks.