News - Middle East: Leader of the Islamic Revolution [in Iran] Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has extended his gratitude to the Iranian nation for casting their ballots in the recent elections for the parliament and the Assembly of Experts, saying they did a “great and epic” job despite enemy plots.

“I thank the Iranian nation for turning up at polls on March 1. The Iranian nation did a jihad and fulfilled their social and civil duties,” Ayatollah Khamenei said on Tuesday as he planted saplings to mark Iran’s national Arbor Day and Natural Resources Week.

He added that “enemies had been scrambling for about a year to dissuade people from voting in the elections and undermine the polls. The Iranian nation, however, thwarted the enemies' plots to discourage people from taking part in the votes.”

Ayatollah Khamenei thanked the organizers of the elections, and whoever assisted in holding the polls as gloriously as possible, including security forces. 

Preliminary results from the Iranian parliamentary and Assembly of Experts elections showed that more than 40 percent of the eligible voters took part in Friday elections.

The Iranian Interior Ministry said out of a total of 61.17 million people, comprising 30.94 million men and 30.22 million women who were eligible to vote in the two elections, more than 25 million people cast their ballots at the polls to elect 290 members of the parliament and 88 members for the Assembly of Experts.

The Arbor Day, which is celebrated every year to promote the development and preservation of greenery across the country, inaugurates the national Natural Resources Week.

On Arbor Day, which fell on March 5 this year, Iranian individuals, groups and environmental activists plant trees and encourage others to do so.

Elsewhere in his remarks on Tuesday, the Leader called for continuation of relief aid by state and private sectors for the country's flood-stricken province of Sistan and Baluchestan.

“Those capable of providing rescue and relief aid should also step in,” Ayatollah Khamenei noted.

The Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) has mobilized operational teams from several provinces to provide assistance in the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan.

Mohammad Ali Kavosi, head of the Red Crescent Society in neighboring province of South Khorasan, confirmed the deployment, stating, “Ten operational teams from the province have been dispatched to Sistan and Balouchestan.”

Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Ground Force Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour has also visited the affected areas, noting that the floods have caused significant damage to rural roads and communication routes.

Pakpour pointed to the ongoing rescue efforts by the IRGC and Basij voluntary forces, stating, “Relief operations began as soon as floods hit the areas.”

Source: Press TV