Yahya Rahim Safavi: Choose Someone Who Does Not Conflict with Khamenei

Yahya Rahim Safavi, assistant and advisor to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, explicitly urged participants in the fourteenth presidential election to 'choose' someone whose views do not 'conflict' with Ali Khamenei. Speaking at a conference titled 'The Movement of Memory-Telling of the Sacred Defense' on Tuesday, June 13, he added that people should elect a president who 'considers himself the second person.' Khamenei's advisor emphasized that the head of the executive branch 'if he says, the leader says this, I say that, it causes problems in the country. The president should not create a bipolar situation.' This is one of the clearest statements from a military figure regarding elections in Iran, openly determining the electoral participation of citizens. Despite Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, calling for the military's non-interference in politics and elections, military officials always justify their interference under the guise of 'explanation and enlightenment.' The Islamic Republic's constitution prohibits military personnel from entering political and electoral competitions; however, extensive discussions about the involvement of the Revolutionary Guards and the Basij paramilitary forces have arisen in various elections in Iran. Rahim Safavi's remarks come at a time when the extensive interventions and powers of the Supreme Leader in all branches of government have led to the president being referred to as his 'agent' and 'contractor.' Although electoral participation in Iran has declined to its lowest level in recent years due to various reasons, including violent repression of public protests, lack of accountability from the government, the homogeneity of the government, and widespread disqualifications, Rahim Safavi stated that Ali Khamenei believes in 'high participation.' The Supreme Leader has also emphasized the necessity of holding 'grand' elections in Iran in several of his recent speeches without addressing citizens' criticisms. The spokesman for the Guardian Council, after confirming the qualifications of only six candidates for the fourteenth presidential election, which will be held early due to the death of Ebrahim Raisi and his entourage in a helicopter crash, has repeatedly stated that this body acts 'independently and beyond factions.' Government-affiliated media also attempt to emphasize the widespread participation of citizens in the elections, and Ebrahim Shirali, head of the Iranian Student Polling Center (ISPA), claimed that according to a survey, '39.5% of respondents said that with the arrival of a new president, the country's situation will improve.' However, officials and institutions affiliated with the Islamic Republic do not provide explanations about the methodology of the survey and their statistical population. In continuation of the televised electoral programs of the candidates for the fourteenth presidential election in Iran, Mostafa Pourmohammadi introduced himself as a person with 'a lot of experience' who has security, intelligence, and supervisory backgrounds. He, who was a member of the so-called 'Death Committee' in the 1980s, mentioned his activities in handling the cases of members of the People's Mojahedin Organization at that time as one of his 'successful' work experiences. Pourmohammadi also referred to his negotiations with Saddam Hussein, the former president of Iraq, saying: 'I negotiated with someone who was the enemy of the nation. My son-in-law and brother-in-law were martyred by this man... This shows that one can negotiate with great enemies but from a position of power. The field and diplomacy complement each other.' Alireza Zakani, the current mayor of Tehran and a candidate in the election, also stated in a separate program that 'transparency and anti-corruption and relentless struggle against rent-seeking' are his program priorities. He said that 'corruption does not recognize principlists or reformists' and added that there is also the possibility of reappointing individuals from Ebrahim Raisi's government in his government. Zakani made these statements while recently signing a large contract under opaque conditions with Mahan Airlines, granting a 30,000 square meter plot of land in Tehran's District 2 to Mahan Airlines to 'build a recreational and tourism center.' The issue of the opaque two billion euro contract with a Chinese construction company for importing buses also remains ambiguous.