The political deputy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps expressed concerns over the potential impact of low voter turnout in Iran's June 28 presidential election, attributing it to external threats.
"This issue encourages the enemy to create disturbances, meaning that when the enemy sees a low turnout, it is tempted to create challenges and can describe officials, whether in parliament or the government, as lacking popular support," stated Brigadier General Yadollah Javani.
He said that elections could either enhance Iran's strength or become a point of vulnerability: "Elections can lead to two outcomes; first, becoming a source of power generation, and second, becoming a source of challenge production."
The portrayal comes as recent elections in Iran, particularly the second round of the Parliamentary elections held in March, saw notably low participation, with only a small fraction of eligible voters in Tehran casting their ballots.
As the country prepares to hold a snap presidential election this month, such diminished electoral engagement has been largely attributed to a pervasive dissatisfaction with the political process, exacerbated by economic struggles and social restrictions that further alienate the public from the political establishment.
The situation was aggravated by the nationwide protests following the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody, which led to a crackdown resulting in over 500 deaths. These events starkly highlighted the government's repressive nature and deepened the sense of despair and disconnection from the state, prompting many Iranians to question the effectiveness of the electoral process as a means for achieving reform or influencing government policies.
