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Iran's Presidential Candidates Meet For Third, Final Debate

June 07, 2013
by RFE/RL

The eight candidates running for president of Iran have begun their third and final televised debate.

The June 7 event is focused on domestic and foreign policies, whereas the previous events covered economic, cultural, and social issues.

Former Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati said he would start 'constructive' relations with other countries and try to improve Iran's image abroad.

As the candidates outlined their positions, they were mostly critical of Western policies toward Iran.

Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said that despite Iran's 'cooperation' with the West on 'the issue of Afghanistan, Iran was branded as [part of the] axis of evil' by Washington.

Former parliament speaker Gholam Ali Haddad Adel said Iran's disputed nuclear program is being used by the United States as a pretext to justify its sanctions.

Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Said Jalili said that, despite Iran's 'cooperation' with the West on 'the issue of Afghanistan, Iran was branded as [part of the] axis of evil' by Washington.

University professor Mohammad Reza Aref took a different tack, blaming the outgoing government of President Ahmadinejad for failing to improve people's living standards despite the country's profits from its vast energy resources.

Aref also said the Iranian leadership has marginalized reformists in previous years.

On May 21, the Guardians Council, which supervises the electoral process, approved only eight of nearly 700 individuals who registered as candidates for the June 14 vote.

The approved candidates also include ex-Vice President Mohsen Rezai, senior cleric and former nuclear negotiator Hassan Rohani, and former Telecommunications Minister Mohammad Gharazi.

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/iran-third- presidential-debate/25010263.html

Copyright (c) 2013. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.