Participation in the parliamentary elections that took place yesterday in Iran reached its lowest levels ever this year. This was reported by the Iranian news agency IRNA. Despite calls by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to vote, only about 41% of voters appear to have done so. This is the lowest turnout since the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

The first opinion polls show that the hardliners retain power in Parliament. Many conservative, relatively moderate and reform-minded voters have turned away. Mohammad Khatami, Iran’s first reformist president, was among those who did not vote on Friday. He and other critics talk about unfair elections. Narges Mohammadi, the imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize laureate, makes a false statement. Opponents of the Islamic regime had called for a boycott.

In addition to parliamentary elections, people can also vote for the Assembly of Experts. The council, made up of 88 Islamic scholars, must choose a successor to Ayatollah Khamenei at the appropriate time.

These were the first elections since the anti-government protests in 2022 and 2023. The reason for the protests was the violent death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amimi. The police arrested her because she did not wear her hijab according to Iranian Islamic law. The regime put an end to the protests with a heavy hand.