Khamenei’s Concerns Over Iran’s Sham Elections

As the anticipated 2024 parliamentary elections approach, Khamenei is confronted with growing apprehensions about maintaining control and sustaining the facade of democracy.

In a recent address, Khamenei underscored the election process’s significance, categorizing it as a vital security matter. He asserted, “Some people criticize the necessity of elections without realizing that if there are no elections in the country, it will either turn into a dictatorship or chaos and turmoil.” His fear is evident – a low voter turnout, much like previous elections, would undermine the semblance of democracy the regime attempts to project.

Critics, such as Mohammad Javad Kermani, voiced their disappointment with the Guardian Council, a body overseeing political matters appointed by Khamenei. Kermani highlighted the Council’s refusal to accept certain individuals, stressing that only Khamenei himself could rectify this approach.

He insists that elections are the foundation of transformation, conveniently overlooking his regime’s authoritarian grip on the selection process. Expressing concern about the election results, Khamenei deflects blame by accusing some of deliberately emphasizing the country’s problems to dissuade public participation.

Paradoxically, he contends that the solution to these problems lies in participating in the very elections that critics argue lack genuine democratic principles. His purported commitment to democracy is contradicted by the stringent loyalty requirement to Khamenei himself, casting doubt on the sincerity of his electoral process.

As Iran inches closer to its sham parliamentary elections, Khamenei’s anxieties reveal the fragility of his regime’s democratic veneer and the underlying authoritarianism that persists in the country’s political landscape.