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In the latest debate among the six candidates approved by the Guardian Council for the 14th sham presidential election in Iran, the contenders clashed over past and present controversies, displaying the deep divisions within the regime. This debate, ostensibly focused on “making the government more effective,” quickly devolved into a series of personal attacks and ideological clashes, revealing the bitter rivalry and discord among the candidates.
Masoud Pezeshkian tried to leverage the issue of the 2022 “Bloody Friday” massacre in Zahedan in his own favor, criticizing the regime for failing to recognize the victims as martyrs.
In response, Amir-Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi attacked Pezeshkian for having Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi, former Minister of Communications, in his campaign team, branding Jahromi as the “commander of the global internet shutdown headquarters.” He accused Pezeshkian’s campaign of being a continuation of Hassan Rouhani’s government, which he blamed for the November 2019 protests and subsequent crackdown. “We will not allow another November 2019 to happen,” he declared.
#Iran’s Regime Prepares to Rig Presidential #Election Results in Crisis Management Strategyhttps://t.co/RPzVhxEd5b
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) June 16, 2024
Alireza Zakani promised to revert gasoline prices to 1,500 tomans, a populist move aimed at gaining favor among voters suffering from economic hardships. He also reiterated his invitation to former presidents Mohammad Khatami and Hassan Rouhani, as well as Bijan Zanganeh, to debate and explain how they allegedly “plundered the people’s rights.” Zakani further attacked Pezeshkian for defending individuals he claimed were corrupt, wrapping his criticisms in stories of his own sacrifices during the Iran-Iraq war, with the refrain, “I just returned from the front.”
Pezeshkian, in turn, ridiculed Ghazizadeh’s past promise to fix the stock market in three days, stating, “Ask the veterans with a phone call about your performance.” He reiterated his commitment to Khamenei’s laws and policies, calling them the “common covenant,” and suggested that Ghazizadeh’s campaign was trying to divert the debate into unnecessary tensions.
Mostafa Pourmohammadi began by citing state TV polls, claiming that three-quarters of Iranians are primarily concerned with economic issues. He criticized the current administration for the stock market crisis and promised to bring a positive balance to the capital market if elected. Pourmohammadi also attacked Saeed Jalili, saying, “I am neither a shadow dweller nor restless for power and position,” adding, “I am neither an Ayatollah nor a doctor,” mocking his rivals’ tendency for grandiose titles which was actually an attempt to deceive the public and redesign his notorious image.
The debate highlighted the fractured state of the regime, with candidates more focused on discrediting each other than addressing the needs of the Iranian people. The heated exchanges and personal attacks underscored the desperation of the candidates to distance themselves from the regime’s failures while simultaneously trying to appear loyal to its core principles. As the election approaches, these internal conflicts reveal a regime struggling to maintain a veneer of legitimacy amidst growing public discontent and international scrutiny.
