Iranian diaspora rally to protest Iranian regime sham presidential elections in Belgium and other EU countries


On June 18, the Iranian regime held its Presidential election on June 18. As it was expectedthe regime’s supreme leader took out Ebrahim Raisi from ballot box, head of the Judiciary and a member of the death commission in 1988 massacre, according to amnesty international, to be the next president.

Inside Iran, boycott is currently being promoted through graffiti and illegal public demonstrations by “Resistance Units” affiliated with the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). Similar activities led to a boycott of the parliamentary elections in February of last year, resulting in the lowest voter turnout in the 40-year history of the regime. Outside Iran, the Iranian opposition movement, the national council of resistance of Iran, leads a worldwide movement to expose Iranian regime sham presidential elections.

 
In Brussels, Iranian diaspora, supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran rally in front of the Iranian regime consulate. They hold signs and banners which calls to boycott Iran sham elections, and support for a democratic republic in Iran. An installed banner introduces Ebrahim Raisi, as the executioner of 1988 massacre. Iranians tear up the pictures of Ebrahim Raisi, and Ali Khamenei, to show the outrage of the Iranians towards the Iranian regime and its leaders. Meanwhile, Iranian dissidents support Maryam Rajavi’s 10-point plan which emphasizes on a pluralistic regime based on the sovereignty of people not the supreme leader. In addition, the movement strongly stands on Iranian women leadership which is completely opposite to the current establishment in Iran.

Right now, the Iranian regime’s Presidency is deemed to be ineffectual and has little impact on Iran’s domestic and especially foreign policy. All such policy is set out by the Supreme Leader through various agencies controlled by his office, and the executive branch is challenged by parallel IRGC controlled power centers. However, the uprisings in December 2017, January 2018, November 2019, and January 2020 have changed the conditions for the Iranian regime in the upcoming elections. In fact, the Iranian regime looks at this election as an existential issue.


On the other hand, calls for boycotts are pervasive in all protests across Iran the past months. Following a call by the Iranian Resistance’s President-elect, Maryam Rajavi, Iran has been leading a nationwide campaign to boycott Iran’s sham presidential elections. Officials and state-controlled media continue to express concern about a massive boycott of the election with Khamenei expressing his angst of a massive boycott movement with his usual deflection to foreign “enemies”. Europe is awaiting the turnout of the election which has a huge impact on the ongoing negotiations about Iran nuclear program and the future relationships with Iran.