Leader Expresses Gratitude to the Iranian People for Their High Election Turnout

The Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei in a message issued on December 19, 2006 expressed his gratitude to the Iranian people for their high turnout in the elections for the Experts Assembly and Islamic municipal councils that were held on December 15.
In his message, Ayatollah Khamenei stated that the glorious participation of the Iranian people in the December-15 elections once again conveyed the meaning of religious democracy to the cynics and skeptics, and that the high turnout of various social strata at the polls displayed the power, self-confidence and presence on the scene of the Iranian nation motivated by awareness and vigilance.
The text of the Leader's message is as follows:

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
I praise Almighty Allah for conferring honor on the Iranian nation in another great trial and for bestowing renewed grandeur on our country, which is proud of bearing the standard of Islam.
The glorious participation of the Iranian people in the December-15 elections once again conveyed the meaning of religious democracy to the cynics and skeptics, and the high turnout of various social strata at the polls displayed the power, self-confidence and presence on the scene of the Iranian nation motivated by awareness and vigilance.
Neither the unfavorable atmospheric conditions on the Election Day nor the psychological war of the enemies, which they had waged since several weeks before the elections to dispirit and dishearten the Iranian people, was able to weaken the firm intention of the Iranian nation. The divine will, which was behind the awareness and vigilance of the Iranian people, overpowered the deceit and stratagem of those with evil intentions, and another glorious page was added to the golden chapter of the faithful and revolutionary Iranian nation.
The prudent and dignified behavior of the Iranian people and the commitment and honesty of the officials in charge of holding the elections once again caused our religious democracy to be healthier than the healthiest democracies in the world and the public turnout in Iran to be higher than the highest recorded turnout in Western democracies.
The voter leanings, which indicated a devotion to the foundations of the revolution, as well as the high voter turnout imparted a clear and expressive message to all the friends and foes of the Iranian nation in the world, a message that provided a clear response to all the doubts and insinuations.
The message was that the Iranian people will continue to pursue their noble objectives and traverse various arenas in a lively and enthusiastic and hopeful manner, that they will not give up their endeavors until they have attained their legitimate rights, and that they will continue to consolidate their bonds with the Islamic system, which has aimed for justice and national power and dignity.
I praise Almighty Allah, and I express my heartfelt gratitude to the great Iranian nation. I also deem it essential to express my gratefulness to all the individuals and organizations that played their due part in this great trial, including the senior Ulema, the scholars and elites at Islamic seminaries and universities, political and social activists, the organizations in charge of holding and supervising the elections, especially the Guardian Council and the Interior Ministry and those delegated by the Islamic Consultative Assembly, the national media that played a responsible role in this regard, the Law Enforcement Force and the Basij which ensured the security of polling stations, and all those who added to the fervor of the elections through their own candidacy or by supporting the candidates.
I pray to Almighty Allah to bestow success on those elected by the nation in performing their responsibilities in a sincere and dedicated manner and to confer greater honor and dignity on the Iranian people as time goes by.
I also extend my heartfelt greetings to His Holiness Imam of the Age - may our souls be sacrificed for his sake - whose sacred heart's happiness is caused by the success of the Iranian nation.
Greetings be upon the pious servants of Allah
Sayyid Ali Khamenei
28.9.1385