2017 Iranian presidential election debates
The live broadcast, which lasted for three hours, aimed to reduce the candidates' campaign spending and pave the way for eligible voters to make their choice based on the sharp-cut and unambiguous plans represented during the program.
He said bank loans and mass construction would be good ways to tackle the housing problem, adding that job creation would help resolve this issue.
[citation needed] Jahangiri said forceful measures would fail to solve social problems and added that he took part in the presidential election as a representative of the Reformist camp.
[citation needed] Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf was the last hopeful taking to the podium to answer a question about his plans to tackle the environmental challenges if elected president.
[citation needed] As per the draw, Mir-Salim next responded to a question about his plans to solve the heavy traffic problem in big cities and said giving priority to public transport would be the best solution to the issue.
In this section Ghalibaf displayed a screenshot of the Iranian president's website which he claimed confirms his remarks about Rouhani's pledge during the previous campaign to create four million jobs.
[citation needed] Two days after the first round of presidential debates on April 28, an online poll indicated that First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri attracted national attention, taking a lead over his fellow competitor, incumbent Hassan Rouhani, who is running for a second term.
He said the 2015 nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), signed between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany, must be respected by all involved parties.
[citation needed] Raisi said the JCPOA has failed to end Iran's economic recession and remove all banking sanctions but added that all Iranian administrations must be committed to the nuclear agreement.
He said different governments must be dealt with in different ways and added that the country must appear strong in the face of elements that take orders from the Israeli regime and arrogant powers.
[citation needed] The presidential candidates took turns to express their views on Jahangiri's remarks with Ebrahim Raisi saying that the Iranian people's presence was the most important component of national might.
Rouhani said Iran is currently considered as a big power in the region and the world, adding that the Islamic Republic's international standing has been greatly improved in comparison with the past.
[citation needed] The presidential candidates took turns to express their views on Rouhani's remarks with Jahangiri saying that the improving of lifestyles would reduce excessive use of the country's resources.
[citation needed] As per the draw, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf next responded to a question about his plans to boost the training aspect of the education system in the country and said some officials are willing to use foreign investment more than domestic potentialities.
[citation needed] Rouhani answered a question about his plans to promote non-extravagant lifestyles and said the previous administration wasted billions of people's assets due to its carelessness.
Reformist Abdollah Naseri said that Raisi had set in motion a clear competition with Ghalibaf, whom observers say sought to portray himself as the main conservative candidate in the first debate.
[6] Upon entering the headquarters of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, the venue of the debate, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the implementation of any economic plan will affect the interests of the "four-percent" minority, a term he has been using throughout his campaigning to refer to the unfair distribution of wealth and opportunities in the country.
[citation needed] Also speaking prior to partaking in the debate, Incumbent President Hassan Rouhani said Iranian people expect that the candidates set out their backgrounds in economic issues and explain what they have done.
[citation needed] Presidential candidates took turns to express their views on Jahangiri's remarks with Raeisi saying that the backbone of his anti-smuggling plan is based on extensive research conducted in universities.
[citation needed] Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said prevention is the first step in fighting goods smuggling and added that some cabinet ministers are engaged in illegal import of commodities to the country.
[citation needed] Mostafa Mir-Salim, the second hopeful taking to the podium, was asked to outline his approaches to boosting exports and reducing the country's dependence on oil.
[citation needed] The presidential contestants took turns to express their views on Mir-Salim's remarks with Rouhani saying that his administration has managed to open Iran's export markets through the signing and implementation of the landmark 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
[citation needed] Mir-Salim retook the podium to respond to the candidates' questions, saying Iran must work with its neighboring countries to safeguard shared energy fields.
[citation needed] The presidential candidates took turns to express their views on Rouhani's remarks with Jahangiri saying the previous administration had brought about the depletion of bank resources.
[citation needed] The presidential hopefuls took turn to express their views about Hashemitaba's comments with Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf saying the current production problems are rooted in the mismanagement of the country's affairs.
Eshaq Jahangiri said the private sector is the key to production and investment in the country and added that the 11th administration has succeeded in bringing stability back to the Iranian economy.
Jahangiri said the existing problems are a result of wrong policies adopted by the previous administration and added that increasing cash handouts would destroy the country's economy.
[citation needed] Tehran Mayor Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf took to the podium to answer a question in four minutes about his plans for boosting the country's economic growth.
The mayor of Tehran said tax evasion in Iran amounts to 40 percent, adding that the creation of job opportunities is the most important step for boosting the economic growth.
[citation needed] The presidential hopefuls took turns to express their views on Ghalibaf's remarks with Mir-Salim saying the Rouhani administration has failed to observe the principles of Economy of Resistance.
