Ouagadougou – Iranians residing in Burkina Faso participated in a presidential election in Ouagadougou on Friday, casting their votes to select a successor to President Ebrahim Raissi, who died in a helicopter crash 40 days prior.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Burkina Faso, the election featured six candidates vying for the presidency. This pivotal election follows closely on the heels of the tragic death of President Raissi. The ambassador noted the keen competition among the candidates, emphasizing that the outcome was still uncertain at the time of voting. “This choice belongs to the population,” he stated, reflecting the democratic spirit of the electoral process.
The election also highlighted the active participation of Iranian women, as exemplified by Ms. Mojagan Faghihi, who expressed her enthusiasm for fulfilling her civic duty. “It’s really a great opportunity for us women to also have a say in the choice of our president,” she remarked, underscoring the equal voting rights extended to Iranian women.
This election is the 14th since the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran in January 1979. It underscores the continued engagement of the Iranian diaspora in their country’s political process, even from afar. The responsibility for organizing such elections falls to the Iranian Ministry of the Interior, ensuring Iranians worldwide can participate.