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Economy cornerstone of Iran’s first presidential debate
It was the first of five debates planned in the 9 days remaining before the vote in a campaign to replace late president Ebrahim Raisi who was killed in a helicopter crash on May 19.
The candidates discussed their proposals and plans for Iran’s economy, struggling under sanctions from the United States and other Western nations.
They all promised they would try and get the sanctions lifted and introduce reforms. The candidates also discussed inflation, the budget deficit, Iran’s housing problem and ways to fight corruption.
All the candidates had an understanding on imbalance between increase in salaries and inflation rate.
One of the candidates and current lawmaker, Masoud Pezeshkian, said that the country’s high inflation has made it difficult for the government’s employees and retirees to provide their families with the essentials for a normal life.
The candidates also talked about the effect of liquidity volume on inflation. The current Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, who is the most prominent candidate, believes that increase in liquidity is one of the main factors behind high inflation in the country.
However, candidate Alireza Zakani, the mayor of Tehran, believes that the liquidity will be useful if it be used in appropriate sectors.
Mostafa Pourmohammadi, another candidate and a previous interior minister under former president Hassan Rouhani, criticized the policies of Iran’s central bank to control the price of foreign currencies. He said that the Central Bank of Iran has ordered the banks to stop granting loans to companies – the issue that has affected production in the country. He considers curbing inflation as a prerequisite for financial stability in the country. Saeed Jalili believes that to curb inflation, foreign currency market should be controlled.
Five of the candidates are conservatives while the sixth candidate, lawmaker Pezeshkian, 69, is a heart surgeon who has the support of some pro-Reformists.
Among those running for president are also Iran’s Vice President, Amir Hossein Qazizadeh Hashemi.
During the four-hour debate, Qalibaf also promised he would be a “strong” president who would support the poor, better manage the economy and effort to remove sanctions through diplomatic means.
Pezeshkian said the sanctions were a “disaster” and also lobbied for less restrictions on the internet.
All the candidates pledged to strengthen the country’s currency, the rial, which has plunged to 580,000 against the dollar. The rial was 32,000 to the dollar when Iran and world powers reached a deal with world powers in 2015 on Iran’s nuclear program.