Iranian presidential candidates debated economy for four hours ahead of June 28 elections

(Patria) - Six candidates vying to succeed ultraconservative president Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash, focused on revitalizing Iran's sanctions-hit economy in their first debate ahead of next week's election, AFP reported.

Five conservatives and one reformist clashed in a four-hour live debate, vowing to tackle the financial challenges affecting the country's 85 million population. The elections, originally scheduled for 2025, were brought forward following Raisi's death on May 19 in a helicopter crash in northern Iran. Long before the June 28 election, Iran has been grappling with mounting economic pressures, including international sanctions and rising inflation.

"We will strengthen the economy so that the government can pay salaries according to inflation and maintain its purchasing power," said conservative Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf.

The speaker of Iran's parliament vowed to work towards removing US sanctions imposed after then-US president Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal.

Iran's economy grew by 5.7 percent in the year to March 2024, with authorities targeting a further eight percent growth this year, boosted by hydrocarbon exports.

The sole reformist candidate, Masoud Pezeshkian, said he would seek to build regional and global relations to achieve this growth. He called for easing internet restrictions in the country where Facebook, Instagram, Telegram and X are among banned platforms.

Ultraconservative former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili said that relations with the West should not be repaired. He targeted Trump, saying his "maximum pressure" policy against Iran had "miserably failed".

Current vice president Amirhossein Ghazizadeh-Hashemi said during the debate that he would seek to lower inflation by following "a political style of management similar to that of the martyr Raisi".

Mostafa Pourmohammadi, the only cleric in the running, blamed international sanctions for "blocking the economy" and "making financial transactions impossible".

Conservative Tehran mayor Alireza Zakani said US sanctions were
"cruel" but not the main problem in the economy.

"We should emphasize the country's economic independence, de-dollarize the economy and rely on our own national currency," he said.

Ghalibaf, Jalili and Pezeshkian are considered frontrunners to win.