Iranians urged to vote in parliamentary elections

Amid expectations of a low turnout, Iran's regime has sent messages to millions of Iranians encouraging them to run in the upcoming parliamentary election.

The message, sent via SMS by the election taskforce of the Interior Ministry, has called on all potential candidates to register in the ministry’s website from August 7 to 15 to be considered for the legislative elections scheduled to take place on 1 March 2024.

Many politicians and pundits in recent weeks have been speaking of an expected low turnout after the experience of the past two elections when many relatively moderate candidates were barred from running. Some argue that voters do not see a reason to go to the polls if they have a limited choice. Many citizens are also angry at the hardliners in charge after their brutal repression of last year's protests.

Reformist commentator and seasoned journalist Abbas Abdi expressed his astonishment with a tweet, saying that the regime used to oppose “the high number of candidates; Now, they are sending millions of text messages urging people to run in the election.”

His quip was a reference to remarks by made in previous years by members of the conservative camp as well as the Guardian Council, who argued that due to "flaws" in the electoral laws in Iran, a large number of people can register and run as candidates in parliamentary and presidential elections.