Images show empty polling stations in Iran, despite official claims

As eyewitness reports from Iran indicated many empty polling stations across the country, officials began claiming that the turnout was higher than in the first round of the election last Friday.

The first round of the snap presidential election on June 28 witnessed the lowest turnout of less than 40% in the history of Iran’s Islamic government, while the top leadership had campaigned for voter participation after a lackluster parliamentary election on March 1.

Dozens of videos on social media and several received by Iran International from citizens in Iran showed deserted polling stations in the capital, its suburbs and other cities and towns in distant provinces. Some of empty voting locations were central polling stations in Tehran.

Although some opinion surveys conducted by government-controlled media predicted a turnout of around 50% or slightly less, the videos tell a different story. Authorities will soon face a dilemma when polling stations close at midnight, and they must begin announcing results. If they report a figure lower than 40%, it will reinforce last week’s perception of a large boycott or widespread dismissal of the tightly controlled elections.

If they decide to inflate numbers, as many on social media say they expect to see, fewer citizens will believe the results and the Islamic government’s elections and legitimacy will come under more questions.

Officials extending voting beyond the official closing time of 6:00 PM, as is customary in Iran, expecting a larger turnout in the evening hours. Videos received midday showed several polling stations in Tehran, Karaj, Pardis and other locations around the capital virtually devoid of voters.

A video sent to Iran International showed just three workers in a polling station in Tehran, where the official in charge was playing the Hamster computer game.

A video published by a Baluch group showed Sunni citizens leaving the main mosque in the southeastern city of Zahedan without even stopping at the ballot boxes, which are typically brought and placed in places of worship.

Sociologist Mostafa Mehrayin wrote on X that “I can say with certainty that people’s No to the country’s current political situation was greater today than in the first round of the election.”

At least 100 political prisoners in Tehran also refused to vote when officials brought ballot boxes to penitentiaries. They had similarly boycotted the first round of voting.

Many insider politicians, mostly belonging to the ‘reformist’ faction of the Islamic Republic continued to urge people to vote. Chief among them was former foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. However, dissidents and critics dismissed these calls, saying that the reformists further discredited themselves by trying to save the credibility of the Islamic Republic.

In an exclusive interview with Iran International, renowned activist Bahareh Hedayat accused the 'reformist' of abandoning the Iranian people during the presidential election and helping the government to boost turnout.