Baku, Azerbaijan, May 17
By Fatih Karimov – Trend:
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the Islamic Republic and the Iranian nation are the main winners of the upcoming presidential election, no matter who becomes president.
Khamenei made the remarks during a meeting with a group of Iranians ahead of the presidential election, which will be held on May 19, the official website of the Iranian leader reported May 17.
He said the Islamic Republic is preparing for election in peace and security, while regional countries suffer insecurity.
“This peaceful and calm environment is invaluable,” Khamenei said, adding that discipline and people's commitment to abide by the law before the election, on the day of the election and after the election, is important.
“The Iranian nation has learned through experience that discipline is beneficial, and indiscipline, unlawfulness can be so harmful,” he said.
President Hassan Rouhani, the custodian of Razavi holy shrine Seyyed Ebrahim Raeisi, former culture minister Seyed Mostafa Agha Mirsalim and reformist politician Mostafa Hashemi-Taba are campaigning for the upcoming presidential election.
The conservative wing in Iran supports Raeisi.
During the previous presidential election in June 2013, Rouhani garnered 50.7 percent of over 36 million votes.
According to Ali Asghar Ahmadi, the head of the Interior Ministry’s State Elections Committee, over 56.4 million Iranians can cast their ballots in the election this year.