|  Following the post-election protests in Iran, representatives of the campaign offices of the presidential candidates held a friendly meeting with Ayatollah Khamenei on Thursday. The representatives explicitly expressed their views of the presidential election and the resultant issues, prompting explanations from the officials in charge of the election.
Speaking at the meeting, which was also attended by representatives of the Guardian Council, Ayatollah Khamenei stressed that Iran's elections have always been the manifestation of national unity and grandeur. He further added: "The presence of almost 40 million people at the polling stations is an honor for the Islamic Republic. All the voters, regardless of their tendencies, played a role in this regard. It is everybody's duty to safeguard national unity."
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that the people voted for the Islamic Republic by their presence in the election. "In all the elections, the main focus has always been on high voter turnout. That is because the presence of the people in the elections is a manifestation of national unity and grandeur, and indicative of their awareness and their vote for the Islamic Republic."
His Eminence stressed that elections must not turn into a means of fomenting discord among the people, further reiterating: "It is a big mistake to imagine that 24 million people have been pitched against 14 million people in this election because those who voted for the president-elect and other candidates are all equally committed to the Islamic Republic."
He added: "Voters tend to have various tendencies in our elections, but they all share the same view when it comes to supporting the Islamic Republic."
Ayatollah Khamenei said national unity was the most important issue in the presidential election and was manifested through the presence of almost 40 million people at the polling stations. "During the electoral campaigns, people were present in the streets in an enthusiastic atmosphere, supporting their candidates without involving in any kind of confrontation. This is indicative of the existence of genuine democracy in the Islamic Republic," he stated.
The Supreme Leader reiterated: "This friendly atmosphere must not turn into an atmosphere in which confrontation and hostility are prevalent because all voters are members of the Iranian nation, and they all believe in the Islamic Republic." Ayatollah Khamenei added: "Of course according to the principles of democracy, the majority are preferred to the minority, but this does not mean enmity and confrontation. It is everybody's duty to prevent the formation of an atmosphere in which conflict and division are prevalent."
His Eminence stressed that the complaints have to be pursued through legal channels and reiterated: "These complaints have to be investigated. I hereby ask the Guardian Council and the Interior Ministry to meticulously investigate the complaints and clear the ambiguities."
He added: "If investigation of the complaints requires recounting certain ballot boxes, this has to be done in the presence of the representatives of the candidates' campaign offices so that everybody is assured of the accuracy."
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that he has always trusted the officials in charge of holding the elections, and added: "I have always trusted the officials in charge of elections although they have been from different political groups. But this should not prevent the officials from conducting an investigation in order to remove the doubts about the elections."
Ayatollah Khamenei said that the presence of around 40 million people in the election was unprecedented during the past thirty years and added that it is a great honor which has to be appreciated.
He said that all the parties involved in the elections should take certain considerations into account and advised the followers of both the winning and the defeated parties to exercise patience and act considerately.
Ayatollah Khamenei said that having the capacity to deal with success or failure is a human virtue and a cultural norm which has to be promoted among the people and elites.
Ayatollah Khamenei said that there are some people who are opposed to the unity of the people and power of the Islamic Republic. "These people are the ones who spread rumors and even engage in vandalism."
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that those who commit these crimes and involve in acts of vandalism are saboteurs and not supporters of the candidates, and stated that everyone should stand against these people.
Ayatollah Khamenei said that no one should think that these people are the supporters of a particular candidate and added: "Those who engage in these acts are opposed to the Islamic Republic and security of the country."
He further added: "Those who do these things are after causing chaos. And even if the result of the election had been different, they would definitely have done these things nonetheless."
Ayatollah Khamenei said that there are some people who have targeted the security of the country. He reiterated that everyone should explicitly state that they are opposed to turbulence and tension.
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said it is everyone's duty to defend the collective identity of the nation and the Islamic Republic and prevent the people form confronting one another. | 
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