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Presidential candidates attend final televised slugfest
Campaigning for the snap presidential election, scheduled for June 28, is in full swing, with six candidates in the fray—Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, Masoud Pezeshkian, Amir-Hossein Qazizadeh Hashemi, Alireza Zakani, Mostafa Pourmohammadi, and Saeed Jalili—pulling out all the stops to win voters’ favor.
During the debate, Pezeshkian emphasized his commitment to alleviating the burdens of economic sanctions, acting as a liaison between the government and the youth, revamping production infrastructure, addressing energy inefficiencies, honoring Iran’s rich cultural diversity, and highlighting the support of the Islamic Revolution’s leader in supporting the country’s progress, and mediating conflicts.
Qalibaf placed a strong emphasis on addressing “inflation” and promoting “prosperity” during his debate, promising to carry on “the legacy of Martyr President Raisi” by seeing through the completion of “the projects he left unfinished”. He encouraged the Iranian people to actively engage in the election, stating that their participation is crucial for safeguarding national security.
Pourmohammadi said he has risen from the heart of the original discourse of the Islamic Revolution. He voiced his worry regarding the people. During his last debate, the cleric said he seeks bridges between ethics and politics, dignity and expediency.
During the debate, Jalili highlighted the government’s focus on engaging with communities to grasp the nation’s potential. He criticized the negotiation [with foreign nations] as a form of disrespect towards the people. He said “The duty of the government is interaction, not negotiation. Those who negotiate disrespect the people.”
Zakani said he is “familiar with poverty”. The nominee underscored his commitment to combatting “corruption” and “discrimination”, expressing concern about incompleteness of Raisi’s government (mission).
Qazizadeh Hashemi asserted a perspective of optimism by rejecting the notion of deadlocks and advocating for a solution-oriented approach. “We have no solution other than building the country with the method practiced by President Raisi”.