Iran’s Khamenei urges massive vote to bolster regime

Iran’s top two presidential candidates launched a final day of election campaigning today as the supreme leader called for a massive turnout to bolster the regime against its “enemies.”

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei suggests Iran’s foes would be deterred from pursuing regime change if they saw voters flock to the ballot boxes in Friday’s poll.

“American, European officials and those of the Zionist regime are watching our elections to see the level of participation,” he says in quotes carried on his Telegram messenger account.

“The Iranian nation has enemies. Faced with the enemy, the people should show its determination and calm,” he said.

Turnout is all-important to the Iranian regime, which uses regular elections to demonstrate the legitimacy of its Islamic system.

— AFP