Interior Ministry's Strong Response to 'Halal Vote' and Doubts About Election Integrity

Iran's Interior Ministry described the remarks of the Secretary-General of the Combatant Clergy Association regarding the 'halal vote' of Ebrahim Raisi and the request to increase his votes to 19 million as 'unbelievable', 'a serious threat to national security', and 'an insult' to those involved in the elections. According to the official news agency of the Islamic Republic, IRNA, the ministry stated on Friday, June 5, that the comments made by Mohammad Ali Mohammadi Kermani were 'very surprising and unbelievable' and 'could lead to discussion and ambiguity, causing concern and mistrust.' The statement emphasized that all stages of the elections were conducted with the presence of Guardian Council observers, and introducing 'any ambiguity in the great epic of religious democracy undermines the votes of the people and insults and discredits those involved in the elections, especially the Guardian Council observers.' The Interior Ministry also stated that categorizing voters 'into titles such as revolutionary and non-revolutionary or halal votes is a great injustice that creates division and poses a serious threat to national unity and security.' The ministry stressed that the request by the Secretary-General of the Combatant Clergy Association to increase Ebrahim Raisi's votes from 16 million to 19 million 'is not based on any religious, legal, or democratic logic and is an unbelievable claim.' The ministry also raised the question that with doubts about the integrity of the elections, 'will it not be implied that this has also been the case in the past?' The ministry addressed Mr. Mohammadi Kermani with the question, 'Where are you going?' Mohammad Ali Mohammadi Kermani had reported on Thursday that he had a meeting with the Secretary of the Guardian Council regarding 'election violations.' He stated that 'these violations do not affect the election results, but they might increase Mr. Raisi's votes from 16 million to 19 million and Mr. Rouhani's from 23 to 21 million.' The Secretary-General of the Combatant Clergy Association emphasized that Mr. Raisi 'has 16 million halal votes.' Meanwhile, Mohammad Hassan Rahimian, the head of the Popular Front of Revolutionary Forces, also accused Hassan Rouhani on Thursday of 'buying votes at the cost of selling religion, revolution, and values' and 'resorting to any means to attract even black votes.' Mr. Rahimian emphasized that the candidate of this group 'has insisted on principles and values and has obtained 16 million sincere votes.' He also stated: 'Of course, the 23 million votes that the opposing side obtained belong to the revolution and the system, and they voted this way.' Ebrahim Raisi, the main candidate of the principlists in the presidential election, announced on May 31 that he had requested the Secretary of the Guardian Council to address issues he described as 'violations before and during the elections on May 29.' Ali Nikzad, Raisi's campaign manager, also requested in a letter to Mohammad Jafar Montazeri, the Attorney General, that he investigate what he described as 'widespread violations' in the twelfth presidential election. Ebrahim Raisi and his campaign manager announced that they had sent documentation of these 'violations' to the Guardian Council and the Attorney General's office, but these letters did not mention the details of the alleged 'violations.' However, the Kayhan newspaper reported on Thursday instances such as 'putting on green and purple handcuffs' by election officials as 'election violations.' This newspaper emphasized that in some polling stations in cities where Ebrahim Raisi's votes 'exceeded those of other candidates, unmarked ballots were distributed that were later invalidated due to lack of a stamp.' The Kayhan newspaper also claimed that Hassan Rouhani's campaign offices were open on election day and 'were playing music and supporters gathered in front of them.' The principlists' protests against the election results come as the spokesman for the Guardian Council on Tuesday, June 1, called on all candidates to 'accept' the election results and not to 'prejudge' before complaints were addressed. On the other hand, Ahmad Jannati, the secretary of this council, said on Wednesday that he 'confirms the integrity of the elections,' 'but many violations also occurred.' He also called on those who, according to him, committed 'major violations' in the elections to 'repent.' The remarks of Mr. Mohammadi Kermani, the Secretary of the Guardian Council, and other principlist figures regarding 'violations' in the 2016 presidential election come at a time when they refer to the protests against the results of the 2009 presidential election as a 'sedition.' According to reports, dozens of protesters against this election were killed, and thousands were detained over several months, with hundreds of them serving long prison sentences. In response to the principlists' accusations, Hassan Rouhani has also accused institutions under the Supreme Leader, including the Revolutionary Guards, Astan Quds Razavi, state media, and the judiciary, of interfering in the elections in favor of Mr. Raisi.