“Respectable”: Supreme National Security Council Mouthpiece on Lowest Voter Turnout in the Regime’s History

While the Iranian public is awaiting official statistics on the March 1 elections to the Parliament and Assembly of Experts, Supreme National Security Council mouthpiece Nour News mused on the “respectable,” but most likely historically low, voter turnout.

• March 3: Nour News Agency‘s analysis of the elections argued: “According to unofficial statistics, the voter turnout in the latest elections was more than 40%, which in itself, and by international standards, is considerable and respectable, but … why was the voter turnout in these elections lower than any other parliamentary elections? Under economic hardships, the people are looking for a silver bullet that will effectively solve their problems. Externally imposed sanctions are partially to blame for these economic problems, but some of it is due to poor management … The people, rightly or wrongly, perceive the economy of the country in a state of chaos and naturally lose their trust … including in electoral participation” as a means of solving those economic problems. “No candidate offered a plan of action … which bereaves informed citizens of the opportunity to choose” among the candidates. “The Voice and Vision of the Islamic Republic,” Iran’s state-run news outlet, “dedicated the golden hours of election day to live transmission of the voting … but the costly propaganda did not manage to persuade people to show up at the ballot box … Ought the organization not change its words, intonation, and methods of persuasion?”
• Nour News’ anonymous columnist concluded: “Life has undeniably changed for Iranians. The citizenry is breathing new air, has a changed list of priorities and necessities, has new needs and demands, and has a different subsistence. In a word, the citizenry’s mentality and beliefs have changed. This necessitates a new way of taking care of them.”

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