{"id":321366,"date":"2024-07-02T09:40:24","date_gmt":"2024-07-02T08:40:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/?p=321366"},"modified":"2024-07-02T09:40:24","modified_gmt":"2024-07-02T08:40:24","slug":"irans-sham-presidential-debate-showcases-crisis-of-legitimacy-and-hollow-promises","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/iran-election\/irans-sham-presidential-debate-showcases-crisis-of-legitimacy-and-hollow-promises\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran&#8217;s Sham Presidential Debate Showcases Crisis of Legitimacy and Hollow Promises"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-321367\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/iran-presidential-debate-jalili-pezeshkian.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"558\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/iran-presidential-debate-jalili-pezeshkian.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/iran-presidential-debate-jalili-pezeshkian-300x167.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/iran-presidential-debate-jalili-pezeshkian-768x429.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/iran-presidential-debate-jalili-pezeshkian-753x420.jpg 753w, https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/iran-presidential-debate-jalili-pezeshkian-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/iran-presidential-debate-jalili-pezeshkian-696x388.jpg 696w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><em>Three-minute read<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">On July 1, the first debate between the two remaining candidates in the clerical regime\u2019s presidential election took place, underscoring the Supreme Leader&#8217;s struggle with a significant legitimacy crisis. Following a widespread boycott of the first round, the regime is now desperately seeking to boost what it terms &#8220;participation.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The hour-long debate, focusing on cultural and political topics, featured Massoud Pezeshkian and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/iran-election\/elections-candidates-biography\/who-is-saeed-jalili-khamenei-loyalist-demonstrating-stubbornness-in-iranian-regimes-foreign-affairs\/\">Saeed Jalili<\/a>, the candidates who advanced to the second round to determine Ebrahim Raisi&#8217;s successor. This debate broadcasted on Iranian state television, revealed much about the current political climate in Iran.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The first round of this election was notably marked by a massive boycott by the Iranian population, estimated by the Iranian Resistance to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/ncri-statements\/statement-iran-protest\/iran-election-protests\/crushing-boycott-88-reject-iranian-regimes-election-farce\/\">be around 88%<\/a>. This boycott is a significant indicator of the widespread disenchantment with the ruling system. Both candidates acknowledged this lack of participation during their debate.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">During the debate, Saeed Jalili tacitly acknowledged the low voter turnout, attributing it to a lack of compelling programs, while <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/iran-election\/elections-candidates-biography\/who-is-masoud-pezeshkian-minister-mp-and-eternal-conformist-serving-irans-regime\/\">Massoud Pezeshkian<\/a> tried to leverage the latter to enhance his image, criticizing the state\u2019s disregard for the people&#8217;s rights and voices, which he argued stifles participation. &#8220;When we ignore the rights of the people and refuse to listen to their voices&#8230; participation does not take shape,&#8221; Pezeshkian stated.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Both candidates defended internet restrictions, though with different emphases. Jalili supported the need for oversight and regulation, while Pezeshkian criticized the destruction of businesses due to these restrictions but still justified cutting internet access during protests.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Iran?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Iran<\/a>\u2019s Regime Prepares to Rig Presidential <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Election?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Election<\/a> Results in Crisis Management Strategy<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/RPzVhxEd5b\">https:\/\/t.co\/RPzVhxEd5b<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/iran_policy\/status\/1802295061360640115?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 16, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This stance aligns with the regime&#8217;s troubling record on internet freedom, as highlighted by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.statista.com\/statistics\/1095831\/economic-cost-internet-shutdowns\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a Statista report<\/a>, which ranked Iran fourth globally for the most internet shutdowns and blockages in 2023, with at least 442 instances recorded. Pezeshkian noted, &#8220;In demonstrations and strikes, any government might cut off the internet,&#8221; reflecting a common justification for such measures.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jalili used the debate to highlight his foreign policy credentials and defended his position on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). He argued that Iran has fulfilled its commitments while accusing the West of non-compliance. &#8220;The Agency has confirmed 15 times that you have fulfilled your commitments, and the other side has not. We should be the party demanding,&#8221; Jalili asserted, reflecting a broader sentiment of Tehran\u2019s grievance against the West, which he claims is responsible for the strained international relations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jalili also dismissed the significance of the regime\u2019s non-compliance with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), arguing that the Hassan Rouhani administration had already implemented numerous FATF clauses without receiving reciprocal concessions. Jalili remarked, &#8220;Not all countries implement all these clauses, but it seems as if we have to implement all of them. Nevertheless, the FATF says it does not accept them and requires us to take additional actions.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In this staged debate, Massoud Pezeshkian stated that he is willing to withdraw in favor of Saeed Jalili, provided that Jalili promises to achieve this 8% growth rate, otherwise, he <a href=\"https:\/\/fararu.com\/fa\/news\/750346\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">should be &#8220;executed<\/a>.&#8221;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Khamenei\u2019s Latest Attempt to Dictate Outcome of <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Iran?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Iran<\/a>\u2019s Sham Presidential <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Election?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Election<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/WCAg2OdEhg\">https:\/\/t.co\/WCAg2OdEhg<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/iran_policy\/status\/1805964230417613038?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 26, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this debate, both candidates tried to achieve recognition through empty promises and claiming to advocate for the people. While Massoud Pezeshkian claimed to defend the rights of low-income people, women, and youth, Saeed Jalili stated, &#8220;We need to increase mobile internet speed by at least 10 times and fixed internet speed by 50 times. A significant part of today&#8217;s opportunities is in virtual space. Today, virtual space is intertwined with real space. The government must have a plan for virtual space. If we want to use the virtual space well, we must have the appropriate speed.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The debate also revealed the candidates\u2019 campaign strategies, which heavily rely on fearmongering about the opponent. Pezeshkian&#8217;s supporters paint Jalili as an extremist who opposes Western agreements, potentially leading to continued or increased sanctions. Conversely, Jalili&#8217;s supporters label Pezeshkian\u2019s potential administration as a continuation of Rouhani\u2019s, predicting a return to economic and political hardships.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Monday, July 1, Ali Khamenei&#8217;s website published a poster highlighting the Supreme Leader&#8217;s previous remarks about &#8220;competitor intimidation.&#8221; In June 2021, Ali Khamenei warned, &#8220;In the past, whenever candidates in TV debates or elsewhere resorted to insults, accusations, slander, and intimidation of their competitors, the country suffered in some way; it has always been like this.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/anews\/who-is-who\/who-is-vahid-haghanian-the-invisible-hand-of-khamenei-now-in-the-presidential-spotlight\/\">Vahid Haghanian<\/a>, a close associate and advisor to Ali Khamenei, who appears to be playing a complex and shadowy role in the current sham electoral cycle, revealed the regime&#8217;s primary objective and its need to claim some level of legitimacy by showing high voter turnout. In a message published by state media, <a href=\"https:\/\/donya-e-eqtesad.com\/%D8%A8%D8%AE%D8%B4-%D8%B3%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%AA-%D8%AE%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86-62\/4082512-%D8%AD%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%B9%D9%88%D8%AF-%D9%BE%D8%B2%D8%B4%DA%A9%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%AA-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D8%AF-%D9%BE%D8%B2%D8%B4%DA%A9%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%87%D9%85-%D8%A7%D8%B5%D9%88%D9%84%DA%AF%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA-%D9%87%D9%85-%D8%A7%D8%B5%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AD-%D8%B7%D9%84%D8%A8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Haghanian stated<\/a>, &#8220;Higher participation in the second round, by voting for Dr. Pezeshkian, will elevate the dignity of the Supreme Leader.&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Three-minute read On July 1, the first debate between the two remaining candidates in the clerical regime&rsquo;s presidential election took place, underscoring the Supreme Leader&rsquo;s struggle with a significant legitimacy [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":69,"featured_media":321367,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[496],"tags":[492],"class_list":{"0":"post-321366","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-iran-election","8":"tag-iran-elections"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Iran&#039;s Sham Presidential Debate Showcases Crisis of Legitimacy and Hollow Promises - NCRI<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Three-minute read On July 1, the first debate between the two remaining candidates in the clerical regime\u2019s presidential election took place, underscoring\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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