Interview with IRIB Reporter After Voting in the Seventh Presidential Elections

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. My recommendation is the same as always. We expect that all people, from these early hours, rush to the ballot boxes and cast their votes with a sense of responsibility and awareness, knowing that they are performing an action consciously and with discernment. Since in the sacred religion of Islam, it is desirable to hasten in good deeds, it is better to do this as soon as possible.

I remember that four years ago, on such a day, we met with you. My question is, as the Supreme Leader and the Guardian of Muslims, and also as a Muslim citizen who has the right to vote, what are your expectations from the President for the future of our country?

We expect the person elected as President to consider themselves a servant of the people and to do everything necessary for the religion and worldly needs of these people, within the limits of their legal authority, with all their being. It is evident that the majority of people are religious and revolutionary and wish for whatever is done for their worldly welfare and happiness to be within the framework of Islamic laws and regulations. Fortunately, all these presidential candidates have announced that they intend to act in this manner. We will have the same expectation from them. I have said before: whoever, God willing, receives the vote today and whose name emerges from these ballot boxes, I will treat them the same way I have treated Mr. President, Mr. Hashemi Rafsanjani, over the past eight years. Of course, for me personally, no one will become Mr. Hashemi Rafsanjani; however, we hope they will become so for the nation and can be such a character for the country and strive in the same way, or even more and better, because the gate of divine mercy is vast.

God willing, you will be successful. Goodbye, gentlemen.