With the presidential election due to be held on May 19, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has urged a high turnout in the race.

In a meeting with a group of army commanders and staff on April 19, Ayatollah Khamenei made reference to the upcoming presidential and city council polls, saying, "The election should be healthy, safe, lucid and massive.” He continued, "If this is achieved — which God willing it will happen by His grace, despite how the enemies and the mainstream media try to spoil the results of the election, in some way or another — if the Iranian nation continues to take part in the election with vigilance and awareness, as they always have, then a massive, lucid election, coupled with enthusiasm and eagerness, as well as health and safety will be held, and this will be a significant resource for the country, which will safeguard it."

Meanwhile,conservative Ebrahim Raisi, who is believed to be the main candidate of the Principlist camp, has written two open letters to moderate President Hassan Rouhani and the conservative head of Iran's state TV, Ali Askari. In his letter to Askari on April 18, Raisi criticized the state broadcaster’s coverage of Rouhani’s speeches, arguing that the incumbent is also a presidential candidate and state TV must thus stop airing "biased advertisements" in his favor.

Asking for the observation of the "moral code," Raisi addressed Rouhani, saying, "It is a pity that the competition for serving [the people] is contaminated by the suspicious advertisements [on state TV]."