In his final speech before Iran’s presidential election on June 18, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged Iranians to vote.

Polls have repeatedly shown that this year’s election will likely see the lowest voter turnout in recent history. One of the reasons for the low voter turnout is the high number of disqualifications that have left a small number of candidates to run. Another problem has been the economic crisis the country is suffering despite the fact that many Iranians voted in 2013 and 2017 for a candidate who promised to improve the economy through negotiations with the United States on the nuclear file.

Khamenei conceded that there are legitimate economic grievances, particularly on issues of housing and related issues. Addressing the Hassan Rouhani administration indirectly, Khamenei said they could have done a better job of addressing these economic problems. However, Khamenei argued that “sulking” and not voting will not solve the economic problems of the country. He encouraged Iranians to vote and use their vote on a candidate they believe will address these legitimate economic grievances.

With two days left, three candidates have stepped aside. Mohsen Mehralizadeh, one of the two moderate candidates approved by the Guardian Council, announced today he would be stepping aside. In his statement, which hard-line website Mashregh described as “rushed,” Mehralizadeh did not throw his support behind Aboldnaser Hemmati, the other moderate candidate in the election. Neither the candidate nor his staff have given the reasons for his sudden announcement and for not supporting Hemmati.