Votes for candidates will be votes for Islamic Republic:Supreme Leader

TEHRAN,June 8(MNA) – Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said that each vote for any presidential candidate that will be cast in Iran’s June 14 presidential election will be a vote for the Islamic Republic. The Leader made the remarks during an address to thousands of people who gathered at the mausoleum of the late Imam Khomeini, the Founder of the Islamic Republic, to commemorate the 24th anniversary of his death on Tuesday. Ayatollah Khamenei said that the most important issue would be the people’s vibrant participation in the election to create a political epic, adding, “Each vote that will be cast by the people for each of the eight respectable presidential candidates will be in the first place a vote for the Islamic Republic and a vote of confidence in the mechanism of the election.” Pointing to the enemies’ plot to turn the election into a threat to the Islamic system, he said, “They hope that the election will be held without enthusiasm or fitna (sedition) will arise after the election like what happened in the year 1388,” referring to the political unrest which occurred after Iran’s 2009 presidential election. “But the enemies are making a mistake in their calculations because they have not known the Iranian nation and forgotten the 9th of Day.” On December 30, 2009, the Iranian people took to the streets of Tehran and other cities and towns to show their anger over sacrilegious acts committed on Ashura day (December 27, 2009) in the follow-up to the post-election unrest. Ashura day is the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS) and his 72 companions. The rallies against the seditious movements came to be known as the 9th of Day demonstrations because they took place on the ninth day of the Iranian calendar month of Day. It is said that the people’s demonstrations on December 30, 2009, which ended months of unrest, poured water on the fire. Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader advised the presidential candidates against making unrealistic election pledges and said that they should promise the people that they will act wisely and with perseverance. Leader calls for unity among Muslim nations In a meeting with the country’s officials and ambassadors of Muslim countries to Iran on Friday, Ayatollah Khamenei said that unity was the most urgent need of Muslim countries. “The enemy’s main plot is to create divisions and conflicts among Muslims, so the most urgent need of the Muslim world is maintaining unity, cooperation, and empathy,” he said.