Opponents Respond to the Government's 'Fake Reforms': We Will Not Vote in the 'Bloody Ballot Box of the Islamic Republic'

As citizens continue to oppose participating in the voting for the candidates favored by the Islamic Republic for succession, many users consider participation in the 'government elections' as 'treason to Iran'; in contrast, government supporters believe voting is a form of 'consultation' and that 'allegiance' to the Islamic Republic is fundamental. Ali Karimi, a beloved figure in Iranian football history and an opponent of the Islamic Republic, published a design on the social media platform X on Thursday, July 7, showing Ali Khamenei aiming a gun at a blindfolded individual, who then drops a bullet into the ballot box. Mr. Karimi, using hashtags like 'every vote is treason to Iran', 'vote without a vote', and 'election circus', implicitly referenced the memory of victims of human rights violations by the Islamic Republic, writing: 'Remember, from the dead candle remember.' Yashar Tabrizi, a constitutionalist activist and former political prisoner, also stated in a video message on Instagram that he 'will not participate in the government's elections', declaring: 'I will not put my finger in the bloody ballot box of the Islamic Republic.' This political activist, paying respect to 'the fallen and victims of the path of freedom and prosperity of the homeland', 'political and ideological prisoners', and 'social protesters who today are nameless and in the worst conditions in the prisons of the Islamic Republic', noted that he himself is 'out on bail from prison'. Yashar Tabrizi emphasized: 'The Ministry of Intelligence has threatened me that if I say the slightest word or take any action, they will destroy my life this time and make me wish for death a thousand times a day. They have repeatedly said that if you do not remain silent, leave Iran; my response has always been that I will never leave my country in difficult times, even if it costs my life.' This political activist stated that 'we can adhere to the principles of constitutionalism and transition through the alternative of Prince Reza Pahlavi from this legitimate government', adding that he could not remain silent in the current 'difficult and humiliating days' and stated: 'I am ready to pay any cost.' Additionally, the sister of the bereaved Hamid Rasouli, one of the protesters killed during the government crackdown on the nationwide protests of November 2019, stated in a video message at her brother's grave that she will not participate in the voting among the government candidates succeeding Ebrahim Raisi because of him, who, like Pouya Bakhtiari, 'was someone's son', and like Pejman Gholipour, Ebrahim Ketabdar, and Farzad Ansari-Far, 'was killed by the bullets of this very regime'. Zartosht Ahmadi Raghb, a political prisoner, also emphasized in an audio message obtained by Voice of America the necessity of 'boycotting the sham and staged elections', stating that 'the people of Iran will choose their representatives for management in free elections after removing the Islamic Republic through solidarity.' Also see: Exclusive; Zartosht Ahmadi Raghb: Alongside freedom-seeking Iranians, I boycott the 'sham elections'. Shahryar Shams, a civil activist and former political prisoner, wrote on the social media platform X: 'You killed and imprisoned our friends, then expect us to vote? Damn and death to your fake and deceitful reforms!' On the other hand, a user supporting the Islamic Republic emphasized that 'the essence of voting is allegiance', considering what is written on the ballot as 'consultation'. In response to this user, Amin Nayebpour, an active citizen on social media X, stated that 'no one has described the nature of the elections in the Islamic Republic as accurately as this domestic ISIS.' As the time for voting among the candidates favored by the Islamic Republic for succeeding Ebrahim Raisi approaches, the hashtag 'we stay at home' has spread on social media, and several citizens have stated that they will not participate in what they call the 'election circus'. Prince Reza Pahlavi reiterated on Thursday, July 7: 'Every vote cast in this devilish regime's ballot box only prolongs its life.' Simultaneously, the hashtag 'we stay at home', which has gained traction among users on social media, has also been supported by some bereaved families. Among them, Fatemeh Heydari, the sister of bereaved Javad Heydari, one of the victims of the crackdown on the nationwide protests of 2022 in Qazvin, emphasized with a picture of Mohsen Mohammadpour, a teenager killed in the crackdown on the November 2019 protests, that 'tomorrow we stay at home.' Some civil activists and journalists, along with a significant number of users with pseudonyms on social media 'X', have joined this hashtag. Samira Rahi, a journalist, published a picture of Sarina Ismailzadeh, a teenager killed in the crackdown on the 2022 protests, and emphasized that 'tomorrow we stay at home.' Social media users also pointed to various human rights violations by the agents of the Islamic Republic, including executions, stating: 'Tomorrow we stay at home and do not vote for bullets.' Additionally, Mostafa Mehriyan, a researcher and university professor whose recent debate with journalist Abbas Abdi has gained attention on social media, issued a statement urging the people of Iran not to participate in the government elections. He wrote in a text on his Instagram account addressed to the people of Iran: 'You do not need any intermediaries, including so-called reformist forces, between yourselves and the hard core of power, and you should pursue your conflict with power and the realization of your goals and demands directly and in various forms of civil movement.' Political prisoners in Mashhad emphasize the necessity of solidarity against the Islamic Republic. On the eve of the voting among the candidates favored by the Islamic Republic for succeeding Ebrahim Raisi, a number of political prisoners held in 'Ward 6/1' of Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad published a statement calling on the people and political opposition groups to 'national solidarity', demanding the establishment of 'a cohesive organization' for 'the success of the vital future uprising'. In this statement, signed by several political prisoners of Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad, including Abbas Vahidian Shahroudi and Javad Lal-Mohammadi, it is stated: 'The world and international communities will only value the Iranian opposition when they see that despite all ideological differences, we have the ability to speak in unison and that we stand together on important commonalities such as the destruction of the dictatorial regime and the establishment of a democratic government that guarantees peace and stability in the region and the world.' So far, Amir Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi and Alireza Zakani have withdrawn from the competition for succeeding Raisi, and unless another candidate withdraws in the remaining time, voting will take place among the four remaining candidates of the Islamic Republic, namely Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, Saeed Jalili, Masoud Pezeshkian, and Mostafa Pourmohammadi. Meanwhile, citizens are expressing their opposition to the presidential elections of the Islamic Republic in various ways, including burning candidates' campaign banners. The opposition to what is called the 'election show and circus' continues, and observers say there is no difference between the agents of the Islamic Republic from reformist and principlist factions. Among them, Hossein Ronaghi, a civil activist, emphasized in a video message on Wednesday that 'the entirety of the Islamic Republic is just a barrier to the progress of freedom and prosperity in Iran.' On the other hand, clashes among supporters of the candidates favored by the Islamic Republic for succeeding Ebrahim Raisi have also been reported. Among them, a video of clashes between supporters of Masoud Pezeshkian and Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf in Tehran's Enghelab Square has been published. Additionally, the editor of 'Raja News', a media outlet close to the political current known as 'the Front of Steadfastness' and a supporter of Saeed Jalili, referred to Qalibaf's supporters as 'a bunch of votes to be wasted'. Alireza Soleimani emphasized on social media X that supporters of Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf 'appeared as foot soldiers for Pezeshkian's campaign and completed dangerous national security scenarios for a handful of wasted votes.' Furthermore, an attack by a representative of Saeed Jalili's campaign on opponents of compulsory hijab has caught the attention of users on social media. Maryam Ashrafi Goudarzi stated that if a woman allows herself the freedom to enter society without a hijab, she should also allow the man who is provoked by her this freedom to assault her. While citizen reports indicate that there is no news of the 'election circus' at the grassroots level, media activists from the campaign offices of the government candidates for succeeding Raisi claim their programs are being held with enthusiasm. Meanwhile, a video report has been released showing that buses transported individuals, reported to be 'three thousand people', from the Shirin Asal Company in Shabestar to attend Masoud Pezeshkian's election program in Tabriz. Voting among the four remaining candidates favored by the Islamic Republic for succeeding Ebrahim Raisi will take place on Saturday, July 8.