Security forces and intelligence services ramped up the terror atmosphere in various cities simultaneous with Iran election 2021 to prevent outburst of likely public protests and dissemination of the news of nationwide boycott.
The state security and intelligence agents arrested many citizens for filming or taking photos from deserted polling stations, and erased their mobiles, various reports from Iran say.
The State Security Force, Bassij, and plainclothes agents lined up Tehran’s central streets, including Enqelab Avenue, the periphery of the Interior Ministry, and the vicinity of the airport. From Thursday night until Friday morning, IRGC and Bassij patrols as well as the Special Unit were stationed in all the main squares in Islamshahr, a suburb of Tehran, and set up inspection checkpoints in some squares.
In addition, the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) controlled the situation in Tehran by the Mohammad Rasoulollah Corps, and in other cities by the Seyyed ol-Shohada Corps. The two corps operate under the supervision of Sarallah Garrison and the IRGC Intelligence Organization, and their activities coordinated.
High security atmosphere has also been reported in other Iran cities.
The acting commander of the State Security Force in Gilan Province announced yesterday that it had arrested 27 citizens for distorting the health of Iran election 2021.
The semi-official ISNA news agency also reported on the sealing of at least 155 business units, “warnings to 5,073 business units,” warnings to seal to “1,073 business units,” and receiving commitment papers from “1,371 business units” in Gilan Province, alone.
Iran election 2021- rigging
- To boost voter turnout, the authorities warned military personnel and ministry employees at the ministries of Health, Agriculture, Foreign Affairs, and Education, as well as the staff of state and private banks in advance that they needed to have their identity papers stamped for voting.
- An Isfahan military barracks instructed its soldiers to show up on Saturday to show their identity papers with the voting stamp. Soldiers who did not have their birth certificates were sent home a week earlier to bring their papers for the vote.
- All personnel at Raja’i Shahr Prison were on alert since 6:00 a.m. Those on furlough were asked to report to work and told to vote inside the prison.
- Ordinary prisoners in the cities of Maku, Khoy, Bazargan and Salmas prisons were promised to receive a three-day leave if they voted.
- The state security force prevented filming and photography at polling stations to hide the massive extent of the boycott of Iran election 2021. In many cases, people’s mobile phones were confiscated, and videos and photographs of polling stations erased.
Security forces prepared to suppress possible protests
Iranian regime officials in the past months have threatened Iranians who called for a boycott of the presidential elections.
In a meeting with religious singers or “Maddahs” on May 28, Iran’s Chief of Police Hossein Ashtari threatened “election norm breakers” and “those who encourage people not to vote” and said they would be dealt with. “The (Supreme) Leader of the revolution cited everything in his meeting with members of parliament and determined everyone’s duty. The Police and the Judiciary will deal with anyone who transgresses according to the law,” he said.
The Chief Justice of Kurdistan said in a meeting on June 1 that anyone who crossed the regimes “red line” in cyberspace regarding the Iran election 2021 would be severely dealt with. According to the state-run ISNA News Agency, Seyed Hossein Hosseini said the Judiciary would monitor everyone’s activities on the internet and that offenders would be “severely” dealt with without any leniency.
Hassan Karami, the commander of the special units of the police force, said: “For the elections, a special one-month plan has been announced to all special units across the country so that we can participate in the Iran election 2021 with more readiness in establishing order and security.” (State-run Fars News Agency – June 15, 2021)
Regarding the monitoring of cyberspace at the same time as the elections, FATA Police Chief Vahid Majid said: “Monitoring cyberspace and investigating violations in this area in various forms are among the actions of FATA police these days.” (State-run Fars News Agency – June 15, 2021)
The police chief announced the deployment of 600,000 forces to “provide security”. “About 300,000 of my colleagues work at the branches to ensure the security of the ballot boxes,” he said. “On the other hand, another 300,000 of my colleagues are pursuing their inherent missions, especially to ensure order and security in cities and villages.”
Mehdi Masoom Beigi, the head of the NAJA Prevention Police, announced the readiness of more than 4,500 police units to ensure the security of the Iran election 2021. He clarified that these units not only have the role of protecting the ballot boxes, but will deal decisively with any irregularities in accordance with the law. Masoom Beigi also announced the dispatch of specialized law enforcement teams to 30 provinces of the country, including more than 59,000 commanders, chiefs and employees, in order to face and deal with various divisions. (IRNA Government News Agency – June 17, 2021)