U.S.: We Do Not Expect Iran's Presidential Election to Be Free and Fair

The U.S. Special Envoy for Iran's Deputy stated that the United States does not expect the presidential election on Friday in Iran to be 'free and fair' or to bring about any 'fundamental' change in the country. Ebrahim Peeli wrote on social media platform X on Wednesday, July 6: 'As the Iranian government prepares for its presidential election, unfortunately, the United States does not expect a free and fair election to take place, nor do we expect this election to bring about any fundamental change in Iran's current trajectory.' Ibrahim Raisi, the former president of Iran, and his entourage were killed in a helicopter crash on May 30 of this year, which is why the presidential election in Iran is set to be held earlier than scheduled on July 8, just two days from now. Peeli added: 'Of course, the candidates have been handpicked by the Guardian Council, but we also know that the people of Iran are deprived of access to the most basic freedoms that are essential features of any democracy.' 80 individuals had volunteered to run in the presidential election, but the Guardian Council of the Islamic Republic only approved the qualifications of six of them, although several candidates withdrew before the Guardian Council's decision. The performance of the Guardian Council has drawn criticism from several disqualified candidates who were senior and former officials of the Islamic Republic. Mr. Peeli continued: 'Given this authoritarian government's long history of harassing and intimidating journalists, preventing election coverage, and denying the freedom to hold peaceful assemblies, we stand with the people of Iran.' This U.S. official emphasized that the United States will continue to advocate for human rights in the Islamic Republic, expose the government's repressive actions, and support a free and democratic future for Iran. While the presidential election in Iran will be held on Friday, some opponents of the Islamic Republic say that the opportunity and 'possibility of change' through the ballot box has been taken away from the people of Iran. Figures such as Narges Mohammadi, Nobel Peace Prize winner, Sediqeh Vasseghi, an Islamic scholar, political activists like Hossein Razaq and Mehdi Mahmoudian, and filmmaker and women's rights activist and former prisoner Mojgan Ilanlou have announced that they will not participate in the presidential election on July 8. Additionally, 520 Iranian educators announced on Saturday in a statement that they would not participate in the upcoming presidential election 'to defend the republic and based on citizens' rights.' Narges Mohammadi emphasized that the only goal of the Islamic Republic in holding another election in the country is to 'consolidate its power and tyranny,' stating: 'I will not participate in the illegal election of a repressive and illegitimate government.' According to this prominent human rights activist, the only aim of holding elections by a government that 'believes in repression, terror, and violence as the sole means of maintaining power, rather than upholding democracy and people's rights, is to consolidate power and tyranny.'