Iranians participated in parliamentary elections on March 1, amid a backdrop of significant political, economic, and social discontent. The elections, seen as a critical test for the clerical establishment, come as the Supreme Leader's succession looms, raising the stakes. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Ebrahim Raisi cast their votes early, highlighting the government's push for participation. Voter turnout is anticipated to be a more telling metric than the election results themselves, with a telephone poll by Stasis Consulting predicting a record low turnout of just 34 percent. This low engagement is attributed to growing frustrations over economic challenges, political and social freedoms restrictions, and the government's crackdown on dissent, including women flouting hijab regulations. The US State Department has expressed skepticism about the elections' fairness, noting the disqualification of thousands of candidates. Despite calls for boycotts from various quarters, including Iranian teachers and reformist politicians, voting was extended by the Interior Ministry, indicating a push for higher participation amidst reports of low turnout. The elections also saw the regime intensify efforts to suppress dissent and encourage voting, with state media reporting varying turnout figures. A new survey by the Netherlands-based Gamaan institute showed that 77% of Iranians will not vote, with only 14.6% saying they will vote, while IRGC-affiliated Fars News claimed a turnout of "40 percent".
NEW: Iran held separate elections for Parliament and the Assembly of Experts. These elections will likely preserve and possibly even reinforce hardliner influence in the Iranian regime. More Key Takeaways ⬇️ https://t.co/ym4vwUiIJj
Iranians take to polls to choose Parliament and Assembly of Experts Follow us on Odysee: https://t.co/Hb2xdOZCK3 https://t.co/IaOYNc92mx
NEW | Iran held separate elections for Parliament and the Assembly of Experts on March 1. These elections will likely preserve and possibly even reinforce hardliner influence in the Iranian regime.
For the first time, former reformist president Mohammad Khatami refused to vote in the parliamentary elections held today in Iran by the Islamic Republic, showing the historic extent of the vote being seen as illegitimate https://t.co/1B6YJijpre
Iranian leaders thought the elections would show people's faith in the system. Instead, Iranians stayed home. https://t.co/OdEfXyNpJ9
#BREAKING While reports from Iran indicate many empty polling stations, the IRGC-affiliated Fars News claims 25 million Iranians cast their votes in the Friday elections, and the turnout was "40 percent". The Judiciary's Mizan news says the turnout was more than 40%. https://t.co/BuLwKIEQ19
Iran’s currency, rial, sank to near its all-time low on Friday as the government held a highly controversial election which is expected to have garnered a low turnout. https://t.co/ATdJLv9nT0
Iranians split on whether to vote or not in elections https://t.co/AKbBB5FF37
🇮🇷New on Cloak & Dagger: Iran’s Elections: Disillusionment, not Democracy https://t.co/BES0SDoO6R
Iran's former presidents Mohammad Khatami (the leader of the so-called Reformists) and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad both cast their votes after the Islamic Republic extended voting until 12:00 AM, according to Iranian media reports.
Iran's Interior Ministry has extended voting by at least two hours, until 12:00 AM local time (20:30 GMT). https://t.co/6pTRrc3miL
IRGC-Quds Force commander Esmaeil Qa'ani is one of the latest regime officials to cast his ballot in Iran's parliamentary and Assembly of Experts elections. Former presidents Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Mohammad Khatami have not been seen casting their votes yet. https://t.co/KnKa10gHsC
While Iranian state media have started reporting initial estimates of the voter turnout in some cities, the Interior Ministry has extended voting by at least two hours, until 10:00 PM local time (18:30 GMT). https://t.co/6pTRrc3miL
Iran election: 'We need to be decisive for our country's future' https://t.co/BfXLH6REXt
.@USEnvoyIran: "As some Iranians vote today in their first parliamentary election since the regime's latest violent crackdown, the world knows the Iranian people do not have a true say at the ballot box. The regime seeks to use these elections as the façade of democracy but has… https://t.co/9DdwmnlTD1
Iran election seen as test of clerical rulers https://t.co/cVrSugM6MN
NEW - Iranians vote in elections as conservatives expected to dominate https://t.co/csL5yCfxXy
Prominent reformist politician Mohammad-Reza Aref cast his ballot Friday morning and berated “enemies” of the Islamic Republic for their “stupidity," despite the disqualification of most reformist candidates. Former FM @JZarif also cast his vote in Tehran. https://t.co/6pTRrc3miL https://t.co/jD08XGlKc6
The writing is on the wall. The game is over for Ali Khamenei and his failed regime. Iranians have once again rejected the Islamic Republic in its entirety by not participating in its election circus. Make no mistake, no matter what show the regime puts on for Western media,… https://t.co/Rxcyuco4a4
Friday's elections in Iran lay the groundwork for the day after Khamenei, as the country faces a choice between the powerful religious establishment and the Revolutionary Guard / Zvi Bar'el https://t.co/f5yjlpAMQe
Khamenei urges citizens to go to polls as Iran discontent mounts https://t.co/BxgdR7e1Bc
Despite the critical situation in flood-hit Sistan-Baluchestan province, Iran's regime has dispatched ballot boxes to various districts of the province. State-run Mehr News claims people are voting in the flood-affected areas. https://t.co/6pTRrc3miL
Iranians vote in elections as conservatives expected to dominate https://t.co/FBc4TndNiN
#Iran's former President @HassanRouhani, who was disqualified from running for the Assembly of Experts, casted his vote in today's #IranElections2024. https://t.co/T10tzWA7e6
BBC visits Iran polling station as voting begins https://t.co/PNYVhyEiz8
"Calls for a boycott roil Iran’s parliamentary elections" today. "Voters enraged by a violent crackdown on protesters and disaffected by the failure of elections to yield substantive changes are vowing to make a statement by staying home." https://t.co/76G1FWzKqM
Follow events in Iran as voting takes place in government manipulated elections. https://t.co/6pTRrc3miL
It's election day in Iran. Here are your candidates. https://t.co/hmvpTodGzU
IRNA: Polling stations have opened for parliamentary elections in Iran Thousands of polling stations across Iran opened on Friday morning at 8 o'clock on the orders of Interior Minister Ahmed Vahidi to elect members of the 12th Iranian Parliament and the 6th Council of Experts .… https://t.co/YfhAEokMuw
Voters in Iran head to the polls to select members of parliament where more than 15,000 candidates are vying for 290 seats in a major test for the gov't. 🟠 Follow our LIVE coverage: https://t.co/0ggXIgwuvq https://t.co/9FD0Xkmdl3
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Khamenei urged Iranian people to make Iran's friends happy and disappoint the country's ill-wishers by voting in today's elections. #IranElections2024 https://t.co/t8bF1JEB4l
“I have no expectation that Iran’s elections will be free and fair, and I suspect that a great number of Iranians have no expectation that those elections will be free and fair,” @StateDeptSpox said Thursday. “Thousands of candidates were already disqualified in an opaque… https://t.co/63OG4szhJV
LIVE BLOG: Iran’s regime has started its Parliamentary and Assembly of Experts elections amid numerous calls for boycott. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Ebrahim Raisi cast their votes early Friday. Follow our Live Blog for more updates. https://t.co/6pTRrc3miL https://t.co/siuOx2E6fL
A new survey by the Netherlands-based Gamaan institute has shown that 77% of Iranians will not vote in today’s parliamentary elections. Only 14.6% said they will vote. https://t.co/6pTRrc3miL https://t.co/Kw40zNRPpV
Iranians vote for a new parliament on Friday, but growing frustration over economic woes and discontent at the hardline clerical rulers' restrictions on political and social freedoms are set to keep many people at home https://t.co/HWQXtEWztZ
#Iran's Majlis elections polls are open, as the regime hopes to a moderate turnout while many are expected to shun them https://t.co/ahrXbPMZ3G
Polling stations in #Iran open for elections to select members of parliament and a key clerical body, state TV reports, citing the interior ministry. https://t.co/rmjDO2WyBl https://t.co/kEibkqNSFl
“Election day” is coming in Iran after the regime disqualified pretty much everyone from running. Another sham election in the Islamic Republic. #سیرک_انتخابات https://t.co/gh9Chdwcbe
Iranian teachers have vowed to boycott Friday’s parliamentary elections, joining a widespread protest against the lack of true democracy. https://t.co/ecl5asFKfr
On the eve of the elections in Iran, the regime has drastically stepped up its measures to target dissidents and critics and simultaneously, to lure the unwilling citizens to vote. https://t.co/1AKeVCPFFx
Iranian people prepare for crucial vote Follow us on Telegram: https://t.co/gtQwYY5p2N https://t.co/6h5cfvmxG2
Of course not.. US State Department: We expect that the elections in Iran will not be free and fair. https://t.co/CosmunYlzC
Voters enraged by a violent crackdown on female protesters and disaffected by years of voting manipulation are vowing to make a statement by staying home during Friday’s elections. https://t.co/kWUIeyuLLm
As Iran increasingly cracks down on women who flout the country’s hijab regulations, concerns are growing over a wider erosion of women’s rights ahead of tomorrow's elections. Read more from @fullerproject & @foreignpolicy. https://t.co/BfnzGVgERY
Voter turnout in Iran’s upcoming parliamentary elections is set to hit a new record low of just 34 percent, a telephone poll conducted by the US-based Stasis Consulting has revealed. https://t.co/mqGhwungnK https://t.co/mAFi3jNic7
⚠️ FACTBOX-KEY FACTS ABOUT IRAN'S ELECTIONS ON FRIDAY (Reuters) Iranians will vote in a parliamentary election on March 1 seen as a litmus test of the clerical establishment's popularity amid growing discontent over economic, political and social strains. Iran's clerical… https://t.co/7bGtwFMAp6
Turnout is set to be a more important metric than the results themselves in Iran's parliament election on Friday https://t.co/7Q91Od8By3 via @pat_syk @RcShahla
Turnout is set to be a more important metric than the results themselves in Iran's parliament election on Friday https://t.co/BsO5zY0n3s
Iran to vote in elections as Supreme Leader’s succession looms https://t.co/Vl0NOlwESy