According to IRNA's political correspondent, Pezeshkian and Jalili who has qualified for the second round of the 14th presidential election squared off on Tuesday evening to present their views on the economic plan if they won for the country’s top executive post.
The two contenders exchanged views on sanctions, inflation, housing and presented respective plans to deal with those pressing issues.
In response to a question, Pezeshkian started speaking about measures against sanctions and ways to neutralize them.
"I will abide by the parliament's strategic action law to neutralize sanctions," Pezeshkian said referring to legislation that calls for taking steps away from the 2015 nuclear in a bid to pressure the Western countries to illegal sanctions.
The two rivals had heated encounters on foreign policy, with Pezeshkian stressing the need for expanding dialogue with the other parties to the JCPOA to lift the sanctions in a bid to help the economy.
Jalili defended the foreign policy pursued by late President Ebrahim Raisi and said the sanctions can be neutralizing if the Islamic Republic enhance ties with its neighbors as well as African and Asian countries.
“The West owes much to Iran when it comes to sanctions and the JCPOA”, he said, adding that his government will force the bullying Western states to lift the sanctions themselves by neutralizing their impact. "Despite sanctions, there are so many opportunities and growth potential."
Pezeshkian nodded saying “we are compelled to first interact and exchange with regional countries for growth and prosperity, and then with other world countries." he added.
However, the two candidates accuse each other of not offering any solution for sanctions, with Jalili particularly blaming Pezeshkian that he intends to give more concessions without getting anything in return. “You still haven't presented a solution."
Pezeshkian, for his part, blamed incompetent, inexperienced and unqualified managers for the current situation in the country and said: "I commit to striving so that none of the Iranian families has to worry about their children."
Suddenly, Pezeshkian mentioned Martyr General Qassem Soleimani, calling him a hero who fought against oppression abroad and was a supporter of the oppressed at home, regardless of whether “one wore Hijab or was religious."
He continued: "I have repeatedly said that my path is the path of Imam Ali (AS) and my policy will be people-centric”.
Then, the two rivals shifted their focus on the cost of living, consumption and pressure on the people and what measures they would pursue to get their countrymen out of the current dire economic situation.
Jalili said that the best way is to involve people in macro national plan. “We must have faith in people and allow them to manage their own consumption."
Pezeshkian, for his part, blamed the government’s intervention for worst stock market performance, saying the government is wrong if it thinks it can compensate for the g budget deficit from the stock market.
Professional and scientific aspects, health and medical infrastructure, industry and finance sector were other topics of the debate which the two candidate pondered upon and presented their plans how to deal with them once taking the office of presidency after their victory in the July 5 election.
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