Abram Pili: The People of Iran Cannot Speak the Truth at the Ballot Boxes

Abram Pili, the Deputy Special Representative of the U.S. Department of State for Iran, wrote on Friday, March 2, in a series of posts on the social media platform 'X' regarding today's elections in the Islamic Republic: As some Iranians vote today in the first parliamentary elections following the regime's last violent crackdown, the world knows that the people of Iran cannot speak the truth at the ballot boxes. He continued: The regime seeks to use this election as a showcase of democracy, but has disqualified thousands of candidates so far. The people of Iran know very well that this election, whatever the outcome, does not represent them, and we agree with them. Mr. Pili stated: The regime's anti-democratic behavior continues today in the courts, where Shervin Hajipour, a singer, has been sentenced to years in prison after his song became the global anthem of the Iranian people's protests. He reiterated the United States' commitment to stand with the people of Iran, writing: We will continue to expose regime officials involved in such human rights violations that deny the fundamental freedoms of Iranians, and we will continue to stand with Iranians in their struggle for a free and democratic future. The elections for the Islamic Consultative Assembly and the Assembly of Experts in Iran began on Friday morning, March 2, under the shadow of threats and promises from Islamic Republic officials. In contrast, many calls for a boycott have been issued by political and civil figures as well as organizations and parties inside and outside Iran in recent days. Supporters of the program 'Elections and the Totalitarian Minority in Iran' spoke about the achievements of non-participation in the elections. Scattered clashes and arrests occurred simultaneously with the elections; users reported on the 'emptiness' of polling stations. The elections began amid boycott calls; government threats and promises have increased. A parliamentary representative warned of a 'massive wave of discontent' among workers; a labor activist stated: an explosive situation has arisen. Protests occurred simultaneously with the elections; offshore workers in Lavan demanded the fulfillment of their unanswered demands. A woman opposing participation in the elections was arrested; users asked: Where is the girl from Vali Asr Street? Foreign media reports on the elections in Iran; Reuters: A test for the legitimacy of the Islamic Republic. Results of a new poll on 'Iranian Participation in Elections'; Ammar Maleki: Participation will not exceed 30%.