Press TV- Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says any dereliction on the part of voters in Iran's elections this month would harm the country, urging a massive turnout to disappoint the enemies. 

"The only barrier against the animosity of the enemy is the presence of the people at the scene because the grandeur of a 80-million country with a powerful and intelligent man power and millions of youths will instill fear in the heart of the enemy," the Leader said on Sunday.

"If we want the grandeur and sovereignty of the Islamic Republic to be preserved and its immunity to stay, all should participate in the elections," he told a group of teachers and students in Tehran Sunday.

Iranians will go to the polls on May 19 to elect a new president and members of local city and village councils, with more than 50 million people are eligible to vote.

"If a dereliction is made and some agents pave the way for people's disappointment, the country will definitely suffer and anyone who is involved in this damage, will be responsible before God," Ayatollah Khamenei said.

The Leader described elections as a "critical and very valuable issue" for the Islamic Republic, which embraced "different tastes and political views as well as diverse inclinations."

"Elections in the Islamic Republic drive from Islam. It is not such that 'republic' be attached to 'Islam'. If there had been no elections, no trace would have remained of the Islamic Republic of Iran today."

Ayatollah Khamenei said voters were free to cast their ballot for any candidate they chose.

"The main and important issue is that the people turn up at the polls to show that they are ready to defend Islam and the establishment and preserve the country's immunity."