Protests by Iranians Abroad Coincide with Second Round of Voting to Determine Raisi's Successor

The second round of government voting to determine a successor to Ebrahim Raisi took place on Friday, July 15, once again accompanied by protests outside polling stations abroad and strong criticism from demonstrators towards the few participants in the election between the two government-sanctioned candidates. Images released from polling locations in various countries around the world, including Canada, Germany, the UK, Australia, Denmark, the Netherlands, the United States, and others, show verbal clashes between opponents of the government election and supporters of the Islamic Republic. In Washington, D.C., the U.S. capital, the Islamic Republic's interest office served as a polling station. Soran Khatri, a reporter for the Persian section of Voice of America, who was present at the site, reported that this office had deliberately postponed administrative matters for visitors in recent days under the pretext of a holiday in the U.S. to Friday, which led to an increase in the number of visitors, but they did not necessarily participate in the Islamic Republic's government election. Simultaneously, a group of Iranian opponents of the Islamic Republic organized a protest and accused participants in the government election of 'dipping their fingers in the blood of protest victims.' In Toronto, Canada, many families of victims criticized the participants in this government process and accused officials like Masoud Pezeshkian and Mohammad Javad Zarif of being complicit in the 'crimes' of this regime. In Paris, France's capital, Iranians held a protest at the 'Aina' square near the Islamic Republic's embassy as the elections began. In Hamburg, Germany, opponents of the Islamic Republic criticized participants in the election to determine Raisi's successor by carrying images of the deceased as part of a 'shame' campaign. According to an image from outside the Islamic Republic's embassy in Brussels, one opponent of the voting stated that Belgian police confiscated images of the deceased and their backpacks from them and threatened that if they did not leave the area, they would be arrested. In Melbourne, Australia, one opponent of participating in the government election attempted to tear down the Islamic Republic's flag, which led to police intervention. In The Hague, Netherlands, a group of Iranian opponents of the Islamic Republic held a protest in front of the Iranian government's consulate. Concurrently, reports circulating on social media regarding the election process in many cities indicated low turnout at polling stations and a lack of widespread interest. Many figures, activists, and political and civil organizations, along with numerous political prisoners, have labeled what the Islamic Republic calls elections as a 'circus' or 'show' and have called for a boycott. The United States has also not assessed the regime's style of elections as fair and free. The second round of elections began under conditions where, according to government statistics, a significant majority of Iranians did not participate in the first round, which opponents refer to as a 'circus' and 'show.' Official claims suggest that about 77% of eligible voters in Tehran and 60% of eligible voters across Iran did not participate in the elections, resulting in the lowest voter turnout in the history of the Islamic Republic's presidential elections. The statistics and figures from the Islamic Republic's government sources have always been met with serious skepticism and dispute by independent observers, and many civil and political activists believe that the number of voters in the first round was less than what the Islamic Republic claimed. Despite extensive campaigning by Masoud Pezeshkian and Saeed Jalili, the two candidates approved by the Guardian Council of the Islamic Republic, many social media users, along with the families of victims and activists, announced that they would not participate in this round of government voting. Opponents argue that there is 'no difference' between the two candidates considered by the Islamic Republic for Raisi's succession and view participation in the government election as a 'vote for more killings and repression.' Images of citizens' absence at polling stations in Birjand and efforts by government media to suggest increased citizen participation raise questions about whether Khamenei is trying to manipulate the numbers. Images from polling stations in Nazemabad, Tehran, show a lack of citizen presence. Internet disruptions and empty polling stations characterized the second round of government voting for Raisi's successor. Kasra Arababi told Voice of America that participation in the second round of voting for Raisi's successor would also be very low. Prince Reza Pahlavi stated that the people did not succumb to the 'election circus'; the 'regime's' destruction is inevitable.