Elected candidates should not betray people’s trust : Iranian Majlis speaker

TEHRAN,March 3(MNA)--Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani, who is seeking reelection for the Qom constituency, said that those candidates who succeed in winning the people’s confidence “should respect people’s confidence.” Through voting, the opponents of the Islamic Republic will realize that the Iranians are “united and determined” to safeguard their revolution, Larijani told reporters in a polling station in Hazrat Ma’soumeh (SA) mausoleum, where he had gone to vote. He added that the Iranian nation would use the election to decide its fate and to provide a “response to the enemies.” Former president Khatami votes Former president Mohammad Khatami cast his ballot in the village of Vadan, near the city of Damavand, the governor of Damavand told the Mehr News Agency. Khatami was accompanied by his brother. It is said that Khatami’s brother has a villa in Vadan village. Hassan Khomeini casts vote in Hosseinieh Jamaran Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of Imam Khomeini, cast his vote in Hosseinieh Jamaran’s polling station. Hassan Khomeini refused to talk to reporters after he cast the vote. Election monitors Seyyed Abdolvahed Mir-Ashrafi, the chairman of the supervisory board in Tehran, said that 19,000 people monitored the election in Tehran. National Prosecutor General Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejeii said that the election is of “special importance” as the enemies are trying to foster a feeling of social dissent in the country. In reply to a question on security situation for the election, he said that the number of election violations had reduced greatly compared to the previous elections. Former foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki said that a large turnout would affect Iran’s expected talks with the 5+1 group. “This presence will affect our country’s negotiations, including future dialogues with the 5+1,” Mottaki told reporters. Hope for the future Ayatollah Ebrahim Amini, the leader of Qom’s Friday prayers, said that the people are expected to vote for the “most qualified persons because the fate of the country is dependent on their choices.” He also called on the people to vote despite the fact that the country is facing some problems. “I do not deny the existence of problems in the country, but domestic and foreign enemies are trying to encourage the people not to take part in the election. Boycotting the election will not solve any problem. Rather, (the people) should take part and elect the most qualified persons to help resolve the country’s problems.” He added, “We expect the elected candidates to seriously address the people’s problems and make them hopeful.”