Iran’s presidential run-off election debate wrapped up as contenders turn spotlight on nuclear deal, economy   

TABNAK: The two candidates running for president include Masoud Pezeshkian and Saeed Jalili appeared in the second televised debate in the 2024 Iranian presidential runoff election.

The debate which comes before the July 5 presidential runoff vote, centered on economic issues and Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with the West, commonly known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The first debate mostly was focused on political and cultural issues and was held on Monday evening.

Pezeshkian, the former Health Minister and Jalili, former nuclear negotiator, received the highest number of votes but no candidate managed to secure the absolute majority, paving the way for the runoff election. 

“It is not the case that if the US does not fulfill its commitments, we will still fulfill ours. I will not enter into negotiations (about JCPOA) with just one option,” Pezeshkian, a supporter of the nuclear deal said during the debate, adding, “No government in history has been able to achieve growth and prosperity within a cage.”

“I will reform Iran’s economy based on interaction with the world, meritocracy and massive public participation,” he noted.

“Wrong thinking is we assume that we can obtain 8 percent economic growth without interaction with the world. Poor management means someone will take part in the talks which leads to sending Iran’s (nuclear) case to the UNSC,” he noted.

We are compelled to first interact and exchange with regional countries for growth and prosperity, and then with other countries (across the world), the former health minister said, “This requires various options including involving experts and elites, coordination, interaction, and consequently legal frameworks.”

“The primary issue is the perspective: do we want to solve our problems with the world or not? I believe we must get out of the deadlock to solve the country's problems,” Pezeshkian concluded.

On the other hand, Jalili expressed objection over Pezeshkian description of Iran as a ‘cage’, adding, despite what was said about impossibility of exporting Iran’s oil due to sanctions, comparison of the country’s oil export charts in 2019 with the ones in 2023 shows the oil exports have multiplied several times in 2023 comparing to 2019.

He also continued foreign investments in Iran in 2023 have multiplied several times comparing to digits in 2019.

“On issues such as JCPOA and FATF, we are in a position to demand and must pursue the matter through dialogue.” He noted. 

He also continued, “You do not offer any solution for sanctions. Your only solution is to give more concessions. You gave all the concessions and got nothing in return. You still haven't presented a solution.”

The former nuclear negotiator, who is an opponent to the nuclear deal, has already blasted US for unilateral withdrawal from the JCPOA in 2018.

He has said that the other side jumped out of the deal illegally and imposed sanctions on Iran, accusing it of failing to comply with its commitments whereas Iran has stood by its obligations based on reports of the IAEA inspectors.