During a Feb. 24 speech in the city of Najafabad, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei commented on the behavior of the United States ahead of the Feb. 26 elections for Iran's parliament and Assembly of Experts. He also warned about divisions and a polarization between hard-liners and moderates.

Khamenei said that in the last 37 years, since the 1979 revolution, Iran’s enemies, including US officials, have attempted to dissuade Iranians from voting by describing the election process in the country as being useless. Khamenei now believes, however, that the United States has learned from experience that taking a direct position against Iran’s elections has had the opposite of the desired effect, prompting Iranians to show up and vote.

“Based on this,” Khamenei said, “the Americans have been silent in these elections.” His comments made an interesting contrast to his Feb. 17 speech, in which he said that “British radio is giving the people of Tehran instructions to vote" for specific individuals.

Khamenei did not let the United States off the hook entirely, saying that despite the silence of US officials on Iran’s elections, “their agents are busy implementing new ploys in various ways.” One such ploy, he said, would be to create a “false polarization” of hard-liners and moderates in Iranian society during the elections.