Khamenei claims each vote legitimates his ideology. In contrast, this election is being developed in such a way to be a referendum on his ideology, especially since he also claimed US students who supported Palestine, in fact, supported his ideology. This is a vote on Iran’s global and domestic legitimacy because there are alternative options that reject Khameneie’s ideology entirely. If Palestine supporters around the world join Iranians in rejecting Khamanei’s approach, this will be a global referendum on him.
Iranians might argue no vote is a vote for the illegitimacy of Iran’s regime. This is a passive objection. An active objection is to develop alternatives. One vote is merely the first step. The thing is throughout all those years no coherent social structure was formed after voting for those who promised a change. People voted and waited to see a change. This is not how change occurs.
There is no difference between voting and then doing nothing, or not voting at all. Iranians have done it for decades. They should change course.