Tehran - Tehranˈs Substitute Friday Prayers Leader Hojatoleslam Ahmad Khatami said Friday that the message of the ongoing elections throughout the country is that West should give up its animosity against Iranian nation.
The cleric made the remarks while speaking to reporters prior to attend the Friday Prayers congregation held in Tehran University campus.
Criticizing Westˈs sanctions and hostility against the Islamic Republic of Iran, Khatami stressed that peopleˈs presence in the ongoing elections is a symbol of resistance against the West.
The 11th presidential and fourth city and rural council elections began throughout Iran Friday morning in some 60,000 polling stations and are simultaneously being held in 96 world countries.
Some 51 million Iranians are eligible to vote in the presidential election
The six candidates running in Iran's presidential election are President of the Expediency Council's Center for Strategic Research Hassan Rohani, Supreme National Security Council Secretary Saeed Jalili, Expediency Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei, Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, former foreign minister Ali Akbar Velayati, and former telecommunications minister Mohammad Gharazi.
Former Majlis speaker Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel and former First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref withdrew their candidacies earlier this week.
© IRNA 2013
