Voters Divided on Iran’s Presidential Runoff

Iranwire – The discussion was intense.

Neda and her two friends were in the metro, trying to persuade each other to vote in the upcoming election on Friday.

“The choice is between bad and worse,” Neda argued. “If we don’t vote, we’ll be stuck with Saeed Jalili, a president with Taliban-like ideas, for at least four years.”

The presidential election has extended to the second round, and supporters of both candidates are desperately trying to get people to vote.

Word-of-mouth and face-to-face campaigns are rampant, along with text messages being sent every moment from the campaigns of both candidates.

Hasti, a 21-year-old, expressed cynicism about the election to another girl in the subway. “I don’t vote in elections,” she said.

“There’s not much difference between the two candidates when everyone has to obey Ali Khamenei’s policies.”

She mentioned her sister’s recent arrest by the Morality Police: “Even now, they don’t relent when they need our votes.

“My sister was arrested because a part of her belly was uncovered while walking, even though she wasn’t wearing inappropriate clothes.

“The officers humiliated her and even threatened her with rape. Luckily, the chief at the police station realized her clothing was fine and released her with a written pledge.”

In a coffee shop downtown, the election debate was just as heated.

Malihe, around 40 years old, voiced her skepticism: “Don’t be fooled. Both candidates are Khamenei’s choices.

“They need a moderate president if Trump wins the US election. Our votes don’t matter.”

“It’s all part of their strategy,” she continued. “They let the conservatives and extremists fight against the preferred candidate, so they can later say the reformists won on their own. My family and I won’t vote.”

“My brother was detained during the Woman, Life, Freedom movement two years ago. He was beaten and traumatized,” said another resident.

“Despite this, I will vote. We must use this small opening to prevent extremists like Jalili from gaining power.”

The campaign had reached a critical stage.

Pezeshkian supporters are trying to get the undecided to vote on Friday for “change.”

Meanwhile, Jalili’s supporters campaigned in villages, parks, and mosques, trying to frame Pezeshkian as a “dishonorable choice.” They distribute food to win support.

Masoumeh, a staunch Jalili supporter, said, “Those who try to destroy Jalili are reckless. They want to hand over the country to America and can’t stand a stronger Iran.”

Reports have also surfaced about the pressure on villagers to vote for Jalili.

Mahdi, from a village in South Khorasan, confirmed this: “Basij forces came to our village, insisting we vote for Jalili.

“In the first round, four votes were for Pezeshkian. They’ve told us this can’t happen in the second round. Even the mosque’s imam urged us to vote for the revolutionary candidate to avoid hell.”

Everywhere in Tehran, even inside taxis, the election is the main topic.

A taxi driver on the Tehran Pars line said, “The country is on the edge. If Jalili becomes president, we’ll fall into the abyss.”

He introduced himself as an economics graduate from the old National University, now the University of Tehran, and continued: “The second debate showed that Jalili knows nothing about economics and spoke only in general terms.

“On the other hand, Pezeshkian has been in the government and parliament for years and had substantial points to make.

“I haven’t been persuaded to vote yet, but if I decide by Friday, I’ll vote for Pezeshkian.”

Amir Hossein, a taxi passenger, added: “The second debate was excellent. Jalili was completely discredited, showing he isn’t fit to be even a middle manager, let alone president.

“But Pezeshkian came across as strong, proving he could handle the radicals. I didn’t vote in the first round, but I will vote for Pezeshkian in the second.”

Sara, a psychotherapist, shared her thoughts: “I haven’t participated in any elections since Khatami’s presidency.

“But these days, many people are urging me to vote for Pezeshkian. They feel the real danger of the radical fundamentalists gaining power. Maybe I will vote for him on Friday.”

At a bus stop heading to Tajrish, a young woman waited for the bus to take her to the Imamzadeh Saleh shrine.

When asked about voting on Friday, she said: “Of course I will vote. We can’t let compromisers like Pezeshkian take over.

“We didn’t sacrifice so many martyrs for the country to fall into the hands of people like him.

“Even our president was martyred so the cause of the revolution could live. I will vote for Jalili.”