Major General Mousavi made the remarks in a congress of senior Army officials which was broadcast through videoconference to all Army units across the country.

“An enthusiastic election will act like a strong shield in the face of plots of enemies and provide an opportunity to strengthen the soft power of the system and elevate the status of the country in the region,” the Army chief opined.

The top general said voting is a “natural right” that citizens should make use of it and fulfil their responsibilities.

Pointing to the importance of voting, the Army commander said, “The rate of participation in the election shows the level of awareness and people’s insight.”

People’s participation in the elections is “directly related to their destiny,” he pointed out.

Elections will make the foes more disappointed and will “carry a clear and important message for them,” Mousavi remarked.

“Since long time ago the foes tried to make people disappointed about the future through their media and inspire this idea that participation or non-participation of people in the elections will have no effect on their destiny.”

He predicted that people will participate in the polls enthusiastically and will disappoint the enemies.

The senior commander went on to say that problems will be resolved “only through massive participation and insightful voting.”

Noting that the elections will send a positive image of Iran to the world, the commander said election will reduce foreign threats, help lift sanctions and also increase determination for economic transactions and foreign investment.

He also requested the army personnel to encourage the qualified members in their families to participate in the elections.

Only persons who are 18 are qualified to vote.

“All of us should have an accurate and deep view  toward domestic, regional and international conditions, the country’s needs and major issues, and the criteria for the most qualified person (candidate),” the major general remarked.

He also suggested “we all should avoid sensational behavior” and consider “national interests” in the elections.

The presidential elections will be held on Friday. The final round of presidential debates was held on Saturday. Seven candidates are competing with each other for the post of president.

If some candidates don’t withdraw candidacy, the election may go a runoff.

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Manavinejad, the outside hitter, has penned a one-year contract with Saipa. He played for the Italian volleyball club BluVolley Verona last season.

Mousavi, who was playing for the Polish team Indykpol AZS Olsztyn team last season, has also signed a one-year deal with the Iranian team.

Saipa Tehran Volleyball Club, based in Tehran, competes in the Iranian Volleyball Super League.

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In a statement on Tuesday, Abbas Mousavi dismissed the “bogus” allegations that the American officials have made against Iran over the recent developments in Iraq and called US initiatives as destructive regional policies.

“The surprising impudence of the American authorities is at such a level that after slaughtering at least 25 people, wounding many Iraqi people, inflicting financial damages on Iraq and violating the country’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity, they (Americans) are now blaming the Islamic Republic of Iran for the protests from the Iraqi people against their own ferocious measures in a blatant and cheap act of pinning the blame on others,” Mousavi said.

Such allegations leveled by the US amount to an insult to the people of Iraq, the Iranian spokesman said, asking the US officials how and with what logic they expect the Iraqi nation to remain silent about such extensive crimes.

“On the one hand, the Americans have ignored the Iraqi nation’s liberality and pursuit of independence, and on the other hand, they have forgotten their role in supporting Saddam and in creating Daesh and the consequent massacre and depredation of the Iraqi people, and have apparently failed to remember that they are still deemed by the people of Iraq to be ‘occupiers’,” the spokesman added.

He went on to dismiss the accusations and, warning Washington against showing any thoughtless and wrong reaction in their calculations, called on the White House to reconsider its destructive policies on the region.

On Sunday, US forces conducted drone strikes on a number of Kata’ib Hezbollah bases in Iraq’s western Anbar province, killing at least 25 individuals and leaving another 51 injured, according to the PMU (Popular Mobilization Units).

Following the strikes, the Pentagon issued a statement saying that it had targeted three locations of the Iraqi fighters in Iraq and two in Syria in response to alleged attacks targeting American forces.

Kata’ib Hezbollah is part of the PMU. The PMU, also known as Hashd al-Sha’abi, played a key role in defeating the Daesh terrorist group that had occupied parts of Iraq since 2014.

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A couple of days ago, the United States released Massoud Soleimani, an Iranian scientist who was arrested last year by the U.S. for allegedly violating American trade sanctions against Iran. Soleimani flew along with Foreign Minister Zarif from Zurich to Tehran. He was released in a prisoner exchange through mediation efforts by Switzerland.

Iran also freed an American graduate student who had been imprisoned in Tehran for more than three years on charges of being a spy.

“After the release of Massoud Soleimani, Zarif offered on his Twitter account a form of exchange, and now, we are ready to exchange our hostages in the U.S. and US detainees as the ball is now in Washington’s court,” Seyed Abbas Mousavi said in Tabriz.

On a plan by President Hassan Rouhani to visit Japan, he said, “Japan had previously submitted some offers to de-escalate tensions (between Iran and the U.S.). We hope to gain suitable results in the president’s trip to Tokyo whose offer has been based on goodwill and hope.”

“The U.S. has always used pressure as a policy, however, we must immune ourselves against such pressures,” Mousavi added.

Reuters reported on Tuesday that President Rouhani may visit Japan on Dec. 19 for talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

‘U.S. withdrawal from the INF treaty will destabilize the globe’

Elsewhere in his remarks, Mousavi condemned the U.S. recent missile test, saying, “We express concern over the U.S. new missile test and announce that the U.S. unilateral withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty (INF) will destabilize the globe.”

On to the outcome of an election in Britain which the Conservatives won the majority, he said it is an internal affair and the Iranian Foreign Ministry has no intention to comment on it. “Other nations’ internal affairs have nothing to do with us and we evade from such interferences.”

Mousavi added, “We hope that Britain comes to a conclusion to fulfill its undertakings under the nuclear deal. We hope that the British government, regarding its current situation, along with the European Union, France, Germany, Russia, and China adhere to their commitments under the deal to pave the way to return to the JCPOA.”

Under the JCPOA – the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action – Iran agreed to put limits on its nuclear activities in exchange for the termination of economic and financial sanctions.

Touching upon the tension between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, Mousavi said, “We, within the framework of international law and existing resolutions, have voiced our readiness to do our best to narrow down the tension between the two countries.”

Mousavi also lashed out at the U.S. for imposing a ban on the export of medicines to Iran, saying, “The claim that food and medicine are not among the U.S-sanctioned items is a lie. The U.S. sanctions on Iran are blatant examples of economic terrorism and crime against humanity.”

Earlier this month, Zarif said that those countries which seemingly supported the 2015 nuclear deal were, unfortunately, preventing exports of medicines for special patients in Iran.

“As the issue is necessary and important, I am telling to the Europeans another time that Iran does not expect a country which has voiced support for the JCPOA to prevent a pharmaceutical company from exporting medicines for patients suffering from special diseases,” Zarif said on the sidelines of cabinet session with a reference to his visit to Sweden.

“Wound-dressing for the children suffering from butterfly disease can’t be produced in all countries. Of course, Iran experienced good progress but it is being produced in low quantity. A few numbers of pharmaceutical companies can produce it,” the minister stated.

“A Swedish company that has been exporting it (wound-dressing for butterfly patients) to Iran, is now unable to continue its trade with us due to the U.S. sanctions and oppressive behavior. I have to remind the Europeans that it is very good that you have decided to join INTEX, but as the Americans are claiming that medicines and humanitarian services are not included in the sanctions list, you Europeans do not embark on imposing a medicine embargo on Iran,” Zarif said.

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TEHRAN (Iran News) – Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mousavi said Iran has no intention yet to leave the Non-Proliferation Treaty, adding the country would have many options to choose from if the ‘snapback mechanism’ was ever activated.

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