What did Iran's presidential candidates say in 4th debate?

Pars Today- The 4th debate of the Iranian presidential candidates was held on Monday night with a focus on political issues and with the theme of "Iran in today's world".

Masood Pezeshkian, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, Saeed Jalili, Alireza Zakani, Amir Hossein Qazizadeh Hashemi, and Mostafa Poormohammadi, the 6 candidates of the 14^th presidential election in Iran, answered the questions in the debate. Here we have chosen excerpts of the key views and comments of these candidates during the debate.

Qalibaf: Our domestic policy is the continuation of our foreign policy

Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf was the first candidate who answered the questions of the experts. He said, "What makes us successful is to be able to create a national unison. We need unity at the national level. Thus, this unison is both inside and abroad. The reason is that our domestic policy is the continuation of our foreign policy."

He, then, stating that we have very great opportunities in the field of thwarting sanctions, said, "In Eurasia, Shanghai, and BRICS, we have very great opportunities. Presently, we have open and stopped cases worth $24 billion in contracts inked with the newly emerging countries that are opposed to the US and work with us."

Qalibaf stressed, "We should pursue both removal and thwarting of sanctions and administer our right based on paragraph 6 of the law of strategic act, and pursue economic growth to thwart sanctions."

Pezeshkian: Defense and deterrence power cause of honor for the country

Masood Pezeshkian was the second candidate who expressed his views on the questions posed by experts. He emphasized on resolving problems with the world hand-in-hand, and said, "Our defense and deterrence power and what the IRGC and the Army have done cause honor for the country. One of the reasons that others cannot do anything against us is our drone and missile power."

Qazizadeh Hashemi: We witnessed the increase in oil sales in the 13^th administration

Amir Hossein Qazizadeh Hashemi was the third candidate who said in answer to the questions of experts, "According to the admittance of Americans, $80 billion of oil were sold during martyr Raeisi administration and, with the constructive move of his government, Coronavirus was stopped in the country within 2-3 months."

He then continued on oil sales in the 13^th administration, "Today, the American senator asks the foreign minister about the rise in Iran's oil sales and the American foreign minister answers that 'Raeisi was a resolute man.'"

Poormohammadi: Foreign policy is in continuation of domestic policy

Mostafa Poormohammadi was the 4^th presidential candidate who answered the questions of the experts in the debate. He said, "Our foreign policy is in continuation of the domestic policy and if we are able internally, we can raise our goals in the international arena."

Poormohammadi then added, "Imam [Khomeini] taught us resistance. The call of the Imam and the Iranian nation has spread to the world for 45 years and today the calls of the Iranian nation's rightfulness about the Palestinian nation's rights have been registered."

Jalili: The interests of nation should be secured in foreign policy

Saeed Jalili was the 5^th candidate who answered the questions of experts. He said, "We can create opportunities for the country in the fields of tourism, health, education, culture and economy. We had the highest level of cooperation in the region and economic relations should be at the highest level with these countries."

Explaining that our nation enjoys the best capacity, Jalili went on to say, "As in foreign policy, the interests of the nation must be maintained." He reiterated, "In Sri Lanka, we have concluded $500 million contract of technical-engineering services and we can do the same thing with other countries."

Zakani: Iran's geopolitical location should get new status in the world

Alireza Zakani was the 6^th and final presidential candidate who answered the questions posed by experts. Zakani said, "We have a unique capacity in the region. According to the enemies, Iran is the top power in West Asia, especially after what was done in [Operation] True Promise and changed the regional equations."

He added, "Economic diplomacy is for bolstering the national economy and we should use all our regional and domestic capacities and make others dependent on us."

This candidate for the 14^th presidential election of Iran continued, "Iran's geopolitical location in the world should get a new status and these capacities cannot be lost. We should move in a course with concept-orientation and seeking of status to place Iran on the world peaks."

It should be mentioned that the early 14^th presidential election in Iran is going to be held on June 28 following the martyrdom of Ebrahim Raeisi on May 19.

Key phrases: Presidential election in Iran, presidential election debate in Iran, Seyyed Ebrahim Raeisi, Iran's presidential election 

RM/BK