By Anezka Pichrtova
Live News Reporter
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Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday called for "maximum" voter turnout in this week's presidential election to "overcome the enemy," criticizing politicians who he described as believing that everything good comes from the U.S.
Khamenei's speech, though not directed at any specific candidate and rich with anti-American sentiment, appeared to be a direct critique of Masoud Pezeshkian, the sole reformist candidate in the race, who has advocated engaging with the West and reviving the 2015 nuclear deal.
"The one who has the slightest opposition to the revolution ... or the Islamic system, is not useful to you," Khamenei said in his speech. "The person who is attached to the U.S., and imagines that without the U.S. favor it is not possible to move a step in the country, he will not be a good colleague for you."
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His hour-long speech, delivered during the Shiite holiday of Eid al-Ghadir, was met with chants of: "Death to America, death to Israel" from the crowd. Khamenei, 85, had to ask the audience to quiet down several times.
The election on Friday follows the death of hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi in a May helicopter crash. Khamenei's call comes after a parliamentary election earlier this year saw record low turnout. Many in Tehran have expressed apathy toward the election amid economic struggles due to Western sanctions and the aftermath of anti-government protests, especially following the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini and the ongoing resistance to mandatory hijab laws.
Despite being relatively unknown prior to his presidential bid, Pezeshkian has drawn large crowds to his speeches in Tehran and other major cities. His campaign slogan: "For Iran" and his use of green scarves—a symbol associated with the 2009 Green Movement—highlight his attempt to resonate with reformist movements. He has been vocal in his criticism of the Islamic Republic for its lack of transparency about the death in custody of Mahsa Amini. He was also banned from running as a candidate in the previous election in 2021.
The reformist has yet to respond publicly to Khamenei's statements, but the timing appeared strategic, providing his opponents with talking points for the last televised debate before the election. The winner is deemed to be whoever garners more than 50 percent of the vote. If no one has a clear majority, the two runners-up hold another election.
According to Reuters, Pezeshkian's reform ideas are what could attract voters who have been sitting out previous elections. According to a survey conducted by the Netherlands-based Gamaan Institute, 65% of citizens will still boycott the upcoming election.
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