Official IRGC voices express concern about low voter turnout

The political deputy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps expressed concern about the potential impact of low voter turnout in Iran’s June 28 presidential election, attributing it to external threats.

“This issue encourages the enemy to create riots, which means that when the enemy sees a low turnout, they are tempted to issue challenges and may describe officials, whether in parliament or government, as lacking popular support,” said Brigadier General Yadollah Javani .

He said the elections could either strengthen Iran’s strength or become a point of vulnerability: “The elections can lead to two outcomes: first, become a source of energy production, and second, become a source of challenge production.”

The portrait is coming as the recent elections in Iran, especially the second round of parliamentary elections held in March, were characterized by particularly low levels of turnout, with only a small percentage of eligible voters in Tehran casting their votes.

As the country prepares for early presidential elections later this month, such reduced voter engagement is largely attributed to pervasive dissatisfaction with the political process, exacerbated by economic struggles and social restrictions that further alienate the public from the political establishment.

The situation was worsened by nationwide protests following the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody, which led to attacks that killed more than 500 people. These events clearly highlighted the repressive nature of the government and deepened feelings of despair and disconnection from the state, leading many Iranians to question the effectiveness of the electoral process as a way to achieve reforms or influence government policy.