Iran's supreme leader calls for high turnout in upcoming presidential poll

 June 26 (IANS) Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has emphasised the significance of a strong turnout in the country's upcoming presidential election, scheduled for Friday. He made the remarks on Tuesday in an address to thousands of Iranians from different provinces gathered in Iran's capital Tehran, three days ahead of the 14th presidential election and on the occasion of the religious holiday of Eid al-Ghadir, Xinhua news agency reported, citing a statement published on the leader's website. "In three days, the Iranian people will face the important test of election, whose importance is greater than ever," Khamenei said, stressing that maximum participation and the selection of the most qualified candidate would bring pride to the nation. Listing the characteristics of the "most qualified" candidate, Iran's leader stated that the next president should firmly believe in the principles and foundations of the Islamic Revolution and establishment, demonstrate efficiency and liveliness in fulfilling responsibilities, and possess the ability to harness the country's diverse and abundant resources to drive progress. He emphasized that Iran had always managed to make progress without reliance on foreigners, adding the Iranian people would never let others decide their fate. "We have from the very beginning sought to interact with the entire world, with one or two exceptions," he said. Iran's 14th presidential election, initially set for 2025, was rescheduled following the unexpected death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash on May 19 in the northwestern province of East Azerbaijan. The candidates for the upcoming election include Alireza Zakani, Mostafa Pourmohammadi, Masoud Pezeshkian, Saeed Jalili, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, and Amir-Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi.