Calls for Boycotting the March 2 Elections in Iran Continue

As the March 2 elections in Iran approach, the efforts of the Islamic Republic officials to encourage public participation have intensified. At the same time, polls indicate a majority of the society's reluctance to participate in the elections, and calls for a boycott by various political groups both inside and outside Iran continue. According to reports, the executive leadership of the National Front of Iran in Tehran stated in a statement that 'all the crises of the country and the current miseries and problems of the Iranian people and the general poverty in society' are the result of 'the lack of free elections.' The statement emphasized that 'the most essential conditions for conducting a real election include the free presence of parties and political organizations with clear and recognized ideological principles that stem from the community, freedom of assembly, freedom of the press and media, and the respect for the right to candidacy and the right to vote for all citizens. None of these conditions are met in Iran under the rule of the Islamic Republic.' The executive leadership of the National Front of Iran added: 'In the absence of freedom for parties and assemblies and without freedom of the press and media, and while not only is there no possibility for critics and opponents of the government to participate in the elections, but even former government officials are disqualified and not allowed to run, what space is left for participation in the elections? This election is fundamentally flawed and far from the principles of a real election.' The statement also described the process of candidate qualification by the Guardian Council of the Islamic Republic as a 'ridiculous and deceptive staging.' The Tudeh Party of Iran also issued a statement boycotting the elections, declaring that 'the widespread and successful boycott' of the 2021 presidential elections and the 'decisive no of the people to the appointment of Ebrahim Raisi to the presidency is a clear symbol of the people's awareness and their disgust with the oppression and corruption of the government and at the same time a symbol of the political-moral illegitimacy of the regime of Velayat-e Faqih.' This party also noted that in recent labor protests and ongoing protests by women, retirees, educators, nurses, youth, victims of financial fraud, families of the deceased, and political-prisoners, 'sparks of the fire beneath the ashes of the disgruntled masses have emerged.' Following the issuance of statements by opposition political groups, the Majority Fadaian Organization also announced that 'it will not participate in this irrelevant and fruitless electoral display.' This organization emphasized that 'the hard core of power will exploit any potential presence to present a face with at least minimal public legitimacy.' Previously, the political coalition 'Unity for a Secular Democratic Republic in Iran' considered the boycott of the March elections as aligned with the demands of the revolutionary movement 'Women, Life, Freedom' and the widespread national-popular resistance for a non-violent transition from the Islamic Republic. The executive center of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan stated: 'The March 2 elections are another opportunity to say 'no' again to the Islamic Republic.' The Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan also called for a widespread and comprehensive boycott of the March 2 elections, turning this day into 'a black day for the Islamic Republic regime,' emphasizing that 'the propaganda and advertising apparatus of the Islamic Republic is working to attract as much public participation as possible in the farcical elections.' Behrouz Khaligh, a member of the Central Council of the Left Party of Iran, told Voice of America regarding the boycott discussion: 'The Islamic Republic has staged an electoral show and wants to send elements melted into Velayat-e Faqih to the parliament.' According to Mr. Khaligh, the revolutionary movement of Women, Life, Freedom in 2022 transformed the political scene in Iran, and the majority of the people have moved beyond the Islamic Republic, and under such circumstances, they will not participate in the electoral farce. Several imprisoned political activists in Iran have also called for a boycott of the elections, with the Telegram channel 'Kalameh' reporting that 'following the announcement of the boycott position and the publication of interviews from inside Evin Prison, security agencies and judicial officials ordered that Saeed Madani and Hossein Razagh be transferred from their detention hall to other halls in Evin Prison.' The twelfth round of the Islamic Consultative Assembly and the sixth round of the Assembly of Experts of Leadership in Iran are scheduled to be held on Friday, March 2.