Detained prominent reformist Mostafa Tajzadeh has refused calls to join Iran’s upcoming elections, blaming Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei for the country’s flawed political system.
“I will not vote to endorse corruption,” said Tajzadeh in a letter he wrote from Evin Prison.
Tajzadeh, a former Deputy Minister of Interior Affairs, had previously applied to run for president, but his candidacy was rejected.
He was jailed in October 2022 and sentenced to five years in prison on charges of “conspiring against security and spreading lies and propaganda against the regime.”
Tajzadeh criticized Khamenei for ignoring Iran’s dire realities and the people’s protests, urging Iranians to boycott the elections.
“The majority of Iranians have decided to ignore the Supreme Leader and his propaganda machine, refusing to participate in the elections as a protest against the dire situation in the country,” wrote Tajzadeh.
He stressed Iran’s need for comprehensive development, accusing Khamenei of hindering reforms while lacking the wisdom to lead effectively.
Tajzadeh condemned the parliament’s ineffectiveness, citing its diminished powers and exclusion of independent voices.
He highlighted Khamenei’s red lines on issues like US relations and hijab freedom.
Despite reports of reformists submitting candidacies in Tehran, Tajzadeh deemed parliamentary participation futile without meaningful reform and criticized Khamenei’s influence.
He advocated civil resistance as an alternative to closed government reforms, stressing the need for international pressure for civil rights recognition.
Tajzadeh urged political forces to support civil protests instead of following the old regime and “repeating the same bitter experience.”
