Iran – election – statement no. 4
Reports by the Resistance’s observers until 2:00 pm, local time, from 33 cities across Iran indicated that people have decisively boycotted the mullahs’ sham elections.
The reports, based on eyewitness accounts by the Resistance’s observers from Tehran, Khash, Babol, Mashad, Isfahan, Tabriz, Hamedan, Yassouj, Shiraz, Qazvin, Damavand, Karaj, Ilam, Kamyaran and dozens of other cities indicate that polling booths were deserted and mostly empty. In Tehran, polling stations 230 in Zafar and Mirdamad in Mirdamad streets, Aghdassieh mosque, in Hazrat Abdolazim shrine in Shahr-e Ray, Javad mosque, a mobile polling station in Vali-e Asr Square, Imam mosque in Imam Hossein Square, Ghavami mosque in Pirouzi Street, in Gharb Township in Iran Zamin Square, were reported empty.
The situation was the same in Behbahan, Qom, Ahwaz, Damavand, Karaj, Ghaemshahr and Kerman.
In Lamard in Fars province, an election observer reported that polling stations were deserted until noon. In Isfahan, the regime has shut down internet cafes to prevent the spread of the news of the boycott.
Foreign news agencies have interviewed many students who said authorities had warned them that if their birth certificates did not carry the election stamp, they would not be allowed to take part in university entrance exams.
Despite extensive propaganda about a heavy turnout, the State-run television has refrained from broadcasting reports from the polling stations and aired reports from only 19 cities and interviewed a few people in only six cities.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
June 17, 2005