Theocrats

This handout picture provided by the office of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei shows him during a gathering of Iranian top scientific talents in Tehran on Oct. 2, 2024, with a portrait of the late founder of the Islamic republic Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in the background.

Geert Wilders, a big winner in his country’s election last November, called Iran’s supreme religious leader Ali Khamenei “a psychopath and a lunatic,” among other things.

The Dutchman was quick to express his strong displeasure at the missile attack by the mullahs’ regime on Israel.

An electoral banner showing reformist candidate Massoud Pezeshkian, hangs on an overhead foot path traversing a thoroughfare, in Tehran on July 4, 2024,

Iranians voted on Friday in a presidential runoff election where the choice is between a reformist advocating improved ties with the West and an ultraconservative former nuclear negotiator.

Iranians will head to the polls the day after tomorrow, Friday, to elect a new president from a field of six candidates, including a relatively unknown reformist aiming to challenge conservative dominance.

Ayatollah Khamenei is expected to lead prayers at the funeral service - After Tabriz, Raisi's body will be taken to the holy city of Qom and will end up in Tehran

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei announced that First Vice President Muhammad Mohbar will temporarily assume the country's executive leadership, as stipulated by the constitution, following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi, Reuters reported. Khamenei stated that Mokhber has up to 50 days to organize elections in collaboration with the judiciary and legislature heads.

Israel was on alert Thursday after its arch-foe Iran threatened reprisals over a strike in Syria this month that killed two Iranian generals, and as the war against Hamas ground on in Gaza.

Khamenei called on citizens to vote as soon as possible, stating that, as he said, "both friends and enemies of Iran are watching the turnout," reports Arab News. "Make your friends happy and make your enemies hopeless," Khamenei added.
Preliminary results of the Iranian elections are expected on Saturday.

Polling stations in Iran opened Friday for voting to select members of parliament and a key clerical body, amid fears of a low turnout and with conservatives expected to tighten their grip on power.

"The United States is an unreliable friend. Iraq should not allow American troops on its territory" - said the Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to the President of Iraq Latif Rashid last night, reported Reuters.