Troubled economy high on agenda of presidential candidates: Press TV reports
Yusef Jalali
Press TV, Tehran
Campaigning for the upcoming presidential election is underway in Iran. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, election campaigns are held in the form of televised addresses and debates.
The race for the top executive post in Iran rages on among the seven candidates, who appear before reporters every day to outline their plans — plans for a brighter future, stronger economy and more opportunities for the youth. So, journalists rarely ask contenders about what they have done in the past, but what they will do should they win the election.
All of the candidates have so far spoken of problems that they blame on the incumbent government; problems that range from inflation to unemployment.
Some of the contenders find the root cause of these problems in the fact that outgoing President Rouhani has put all his eggs in the basket of the 2015 nuclear deal, which is now hanging by a thread.
This year, the coronavirus pandemic has curtailed election rallies and electoral tours.
Based on the guidelines set by the coronavirus combat committee, campaigns are conducted through televised debates between candidates, feature documentaries and speeches.
This year, more than 59 million Iranians are eligible to vote. Some one-and-a-half million of them would be first time voters. Campaigning will continue until 24 hours before election day on June 18.
The Islamic Republic holds an average of one election each year, since its establishment in 1979.
Candidates call on Iranians to turn up en masse for this year’s election, as of the previous rounds, since high voter turnout is translated into a seal of approval for the legitimacy of the Islamic establishment.
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