Announcement of Beheshtian as 'Islamic Republic President' by the Government; Citizens Report Low Participation

The Ministry of Interior of the Islamic Republic announced Masoud Beheshtian as the replacement for Ebrahim Raisi and the ninth 'President of the Islamic Republic' following a government vote. The 'Elections' headquarters claimed on Saturday morning, July 16, that 30,530,175 votes were counted, with Masoud Beheshtian receiving 16,384,403 votes and Saeed Jalili getting 13,538,179 votes. This statistic and the claim of nearly 50% participation come amid numerous reports from citizen-journalists in Iran and around the world indicating low participation and empty polling stations, reflecting widespread boycotts of this election cycle. The figures announced by the security and state institutions of the Islamic Republic have always been met with skepticism by experts, and the evidence from the public and the reports published indicate very low public participation in the Islamic Republic's voting to determine Raisi's successor. Following the government's alleged participation statistics, many political activists, considering their observations and the cold atmosphere in society, have accused the Islamic Republic of fabricating and engineering voting numbers. Prior to both rounds of the recent voting, many figures, activists, organizations, and civil society groups, along with numerous political prisoners, had labeled what the Islamic Republic calls 'elections' as a 'circus' or 'show' and called for a boycott. Earlier, a group of workers from the Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Company issued a statement boycotting the voting, pointing to the dire living conditions faced by workers under continuous repression and the disastrous treatment of women, stating: 'Every government that has come, regardless of its name, has worsened the situation. All these candidates have failed the test.' Additionally, a group of students from Tehran universities, in a statement, emphasized the necessity of boycotting the voting and declared that the most important duty of all sectors of society is to think about improving the situation in Iran and moving beyond the current regime. Jawad Lal Mohammadi, a political prisoner and one of the signatories of the 14-person statement, sent a message from Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad, requesting a boycott of the voting, stating: 'Those people who have seen the calamities and still want to participate in the elections are definitely traitors.' Fatemeh Sepahri, a political prisoner opposed to the Islamic Republic and another signatory of the statement calling for Ali Khamenei's resignation, also sent a message from Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad addressing the officials of the Islamic Republic, stating, 'We will not participate in your appointment circus' and 'We will soon mark the end of your tyranny.' In the days leading up to the voting, many other political activists, including the Association of Families of Victims of Flight PS752, Mahbubeh Rezaei, Golrokh Iraei, and Narges Mohammadi, in separate statements, urged the public not to participate in the 'show and fake elections' of the Islamic Republic. The United States has also assessed the 'elections' conducted by the Islamic Republic regime as unfair and unfree. Previously, Abram Pili, the Deputy Special Representative of the U.S. State Department for Iran, wrote on social media: 'Unfortunately, the United States does not expect free and fair elections to be held or for any change to occur in Iran, but we support the people of Iran in the face of this regime's long history of harassing and intimidating journalists, suppressing electoral coverage, and denying the freedom of peaceful assembly.' Prince Reza Pahlavi early on Saturday, Iran time, referred to the figures announced by the Islamic Republic as 'number fabrication' and wrote: 'You have defeated the regime's campaign of deception and fear to boost the fake ballot boxes, and you have rendered its number fabrication and data forgery ineffective.' He thanked the people of Iran, stating: 'Regardless of what Khamenei announces as a result with what coefficient and which of his two obedient servants he pulls out from under his cloak, you are the winners of this scene who firmly said no to him and his entire regime.' Hossein Ronaghi, a political activist, also wrote on social media on the evening of Friday, July 15: 'The second no was much louder; it does not matter which of you comes to power; the social awareness of the Iranian people has become historic.' This political activist added: 'From now on, there is no way for you, the arrogant minority who consider themselves the rightful owners of the wealth and country and the decisions of the rest of the people, except to submit to the demands of the majority who said no.' Following the death of Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash on May 30, the Islamic Republic was forced to hold a vote to determine his successor according to law, 50 days after his death. In the first round of government voting to select Ebrahim Raisi's successor, according to official claimed statistics, about 77% of eligible voters in Tehran and 60% of eligible voters across Iran did not participate in the elections, thus recording the lowest participation rate in the history of the Islamic Republic's presidential 'elections.' The second round of voting was held on Friday, July 15, and despite the efforts of state media and claimed statistics to showcase public attendance, the evidence and reports sent indicate a significant 'no' from a large portion of citizens to this event and its widespread boycott. Hossein Ronaghi reacted to the government elections on July 15: 'The second no was much louder.' Protests by Iranians abroad coincided with the second round of voting to determine Raisi's successor. Internet disruptions and empty polling stations were reported during the second round of government voting for Raisi's succession. Kasra Arabzadeh told Voice of America: Participation in the second round of voting for Raisi's succession will also be very low. Prince Reza Pahlavi stated: The people did not submit to the 'election circus'; the destruction of the 'regime' is inevitable. Sepideh Ghalean from prison stated: Participation in the 'show elections' provides the regime with an opportunity for 'fake legitimacy.' Mohammad Nourizad from prison urged people to smash the ballot boxes over the 'devil and monster' of the Islamic Republic. Jafar Panahi stated that the Islamic Republic is experiencing 'fear of illegitimacy' due to the lack of majority participation. The father of Mahsa Amini stated: My family and I are not 'promoters of any specific candidate'; we have no hope for justice in the future. Abolfazl Ghadiani, a political activist, emphasized the 'boycott' of government elections and 'changing the religious dictatorship system.' Workers of Haft Tappeh stated: We will not vote for 'those responsible for disrespect and repression over the decades.' Khamenei admitted to minimal participation in the government 'elections': If you love the Islamic Republic, vote. Verification of the second 'debate' between Jalili and Beheshtian; an abundance of 'incorrect' and 'misleading' claims from both sides.