Officials say Interior Ministry's pro-vote texts lower Iran turnout

Some former and current officials and politicians have criticized the Interior Ministry for sending text messages urging citizens to vote in the presidential election, arguing that these messages are counterproductive and may actually lower turnout.

Their criticism implicitly acknowledges that many who do not support the Islamic Republic will be turned off from voting.

An example of the Ministry's messages blamed by officials includes: “Supreme Leader: those who love Islam and the Islamic Republic should vote.”

Mohammad-Javad Azari-Jahromi, who served as the Minister of Communications in Hassan Rouhani's government, quoted Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in a tweet, saying, “Even the people who don’t believe in the establishment, should vote,” adding, “For Interior Ministry’s information.”

Azari-Jahromi criticized this approach, tweeting, "Mass messaging should aim to increase participation, not decrease it!"

Ali Gholhaki, a journalist close to Iran's hardliners, wrote on X: “One of the surveys explicitly states that 'text messages from the Ministry of Interior' have had a negative effect (albeit a small one). So, please don't send text messages! Those who are committed to vote don't care about your messages; those who are undecided become more uncertain because of them!”

Reformist political activist Rahmatollah Bigdeli didn't hold back his criticism of the Ministry's messages. In a plea on X, he wrote, "Dear Ministry of Interior, if you truly want broad public participation in the elections, please stop encouraging people to vote! If you don't invite people, participation will definitely be higher! Please stop sending text messages!"

Reformist activist Emad al-Din Baghi highlighted the significant impact of the Ministry's messages. He recounted the experience of a local shopkeeper who had initially planned to vote at 6 o'clock but changed his mind after receiving a message from the Ministry of Interior that tied voting to support for the establishment. Baghi emphasized, “The votes of millions of citizens are for determining their own and their country's future, not for supporting the system. Do not tie the right to vote to your policies or the regime.”