Iran’s Presidential hopefuls pin on votes from Azerbaijan

Following the announcement, Iran’s ambassador to Azerbaijan Afshar Suleymani noted that about 700 citizens of his country had appeared in Azerbaijan-based polling stations, to vote in the previous elections. “I think the current turnout won’t be less than that recorded during the past elections,” the envoy said.

Meanwhile, he has added that about 2,000 citizens of Iran will likely be in Azerbaijan on the voting day.

According to Suleymani, Iran’s existing electoral legislation provides that the country’s citizens, residing abroad, are allowed to casting their votes in presidential elections only. In accordance with the above law, on the day of presidential elections, Iran’s embassies – including the country’s legation in Azerbaijan – set up a nine-member executive commission to oversee the entire process of voting. The commission is formed of four high-ranking members of the embassy staff, including the ambassador acting as the commission chairman, and five citizens (of Iran), who are residing in the same country (where the embassy is based) and are subject to approval by the embassy.

In addition, five men – a ballot-box chief, deputy chief and three secretaries - will undertake duties concerning the casting of ballots as well as the guard of the ballot-box, to be publicly sealed.

Both the commission members and ‘ballot-box’ guardians must be in the polling station on the Election Day. After the voting time is over, the ballot box is unsealed with participation of all the above-mentioned representatives, and the vote-counting process gets go-ahead. The process is regarded complete after the embassy submits a relevant letter – with the number of counts in favor of hopefuls – to officials in Tehran for consideration.

Suleymani added that the Iranian Government hadn’t invited any foreign mission to observe the upcoming elections. “There will be many journalists from many foreign countries, who will keep and eye on the entire process,” he concluded.