Washington Post: High Voter Participation in Elections is Important for the Stability and Legitimacy of the Iranian Regime

Voting among the candidates favored by the Islamic Republic for the succession of Ebrahim Raisi in Iran began on Friday, July 8. Several media outlets around the world have covered the elections in Iran, including the Washington Post, which wrote: "For the ruling clerics in Iran, elections with high voter participation are important for the stability and legitimacy of the regime." Many political and civil activists have described what the Islamic Republic calls elections with terms like "circus" or "show" and have called for a boycott. The United States has also stated that elections in the style of the Islamic Republic regime are neither fair nor free. In such circumstances, several news agencies and media around the world have reported on the elections on Friday for the succession of Ebrahim Raisi. Reuters reported on Friday that Iranians will vote for a new president from a controlled group of four candidates loyal to the leader, amid rising public despair. Reuters added that while it seems unlikely that this election will bring significant changes to the policies of the Islamic Republic, its outcome could affect the succession of Ali Khamenei. According to this news agency, the leader of the Islamic Republic has called for widespread public participation to compensate for the legitimacy crisis caused by public dissatisfaction with economic problems and the restriction of political and social freedoms. The Associated Press also noted the "widespread public indifference in the Islamic Republic after years of economic problems, widespread protests, and tensions in the Middle East," stating that "given the unprecedented low participation in recent elections, it is still unclear how many Iranians will participate in the elections." This report also mentioned that the elections are taking place amid "widespread tensions" in the Middle East following the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. The news agency also referred to the Islamic Republic's missile attack on Israel and noted that militia groups like Hezbollah in Lebanon and Houthi rebels in Yemen, equipped by Tehran, have intensified their attacks in the region. The Washington Post also wrote: "The elections are taking place while Iran is grappling with multiple crises, including ailing economy and tensions with Israel." According to this newspaper, "For the ruling clerics in Iran, elections with high voter participation are important for the stability and legitimacy of the regime." The British newspaper The Guardian also wrote: "Millions are expected to boycott the elections, a result that they believe will be manipulated by the regime to ensure the victory of its loyal forces." This newspaper noted that Iranian leaders want to renew their legitimacy after a continuous decline in participation in last year's elections, which reached a crisis point.