Iranian candidates hold debate on foreign and national policy

TEHRAN,June 8(MNA) – The final presidential debate between Iran’s eight presidential candidates was held in Tehran on Friday. Following are excerpts of the debate, which focused on the foreign and national policies of the candidates: Rezaei says people’s rights should be respected Mohsen Rezaei, an independent candidate, said that if he is elected president, he would gather competent people from various factions to form an inclusive government in order to revive the economy, which would in effect elevate Iran’s status in the nuclear negotiations with the six major powers. He also said the nuclear dispute between Iran and the West should be resolved by enlisting the efforts of competent and veteran diplomats. In order to lessen the effects of economic sanctions, the country’s economy must be prosperous, because otherwise the enemy will be emboldened about the effects of the sanctions, he noted. The next president must be able to create a balance between “resistance” against the Western pressure over the country’s nuclear program and “interaction” with the West to resolve the nuclear issue in a diplomatic way, he added. He also asked chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, who is also a presidential candidate, to explain what he has done to reduce the sanctions imposed on Iran. Qalibaf unhappy with foreign policy record Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, a principlist candidate, said officials in charge of foreign policy in successive governments have been unable to achieve the country’s goals, especially in the area of economic diplomacy, and this should be rectified. Efficient management is very important for realizing foreign policy goals, he observed. Qalibaf, who is the mayor of Tehran, also cited national solidarity, active regional diplomacy, economic diplomacy, public diplomacy, and prudent resistance as the most important tools for activating the country’s diplomacy on the global stage. On the nuclear negotiations with the six major powers, Qalibaf said, “A government which is not accepted by its own people will not succeed at the negotiating table.” Haddad-Adel: Prudent resistance necessary to counter sanctions Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, a principlist candidate, said that Iran should adopt “prudent resistance” against the sanctions imposed on the country. The West’s problem with Iran is not the country’s nuclear program, but rather, the West is opposed to the Islamic Revolution itself and the nation’s independence, he stated. Rohani: Nuclear dossier should be returned from Security Council to IAEA Hassan Rohani, a moderate principlist candidate, said that efforts should be made so that people with different political persuasions can be given a role in running the country. And all the people in society should have a feeling of peace and security in their cultural and economic life, he added. Rohani, who formerly served as the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator, also stated that efforts should be made to return Iran’s nuclear dossier from the United Nations Security Council to the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors. Aref: Principlists should accept responsibility for current situation Mohammad Reza Aref, a pro-reform candidate, called for the full implementation of the Constitution, particularly those sections related to the people’s rights. He also advised the principlists to accept responsibility for the country’s current economic problems. Aref, who served as the first vice president under President Mohammad Khatami, insisted that no group should be “purged” for its political views and all professional and experienced people should be enlisted in the efforts to resolve the country’s problems and realize the ideals of the revolution. Velayati criticizes performance of nuclear negotiating team Ali Akbar Velayati, a principlist candidate, said that sanctions and mismanagement have caused economic problems for country. Velayati, who is the senior foreign policy advisor of the Supreme Leader, criticized the performance of the nuclear negotiating team, saying that their actions have led to the imposition of more sanctions on the country. Velayati said the resolution of the nuclear issue is not more difficult than pushing through UN Resolution 598, which ended the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war. The former foreign minister added that due to his diplomatic efforts, the United Nations declared the Iraqi regime led by Saddam Hussein the aggressor in the war. Diplomacy is not just sitting at the negotiating table and issuing statements, diplomacy is “give and take,” he noted. Jalili: Iran’s interests were met when U.S. was caught in Iraq and Afghanistan quagmires Saeed Jalili, a principlist candidate, disputed the remarks of Rohani, who said Iran successfully weathered the Bush administration’s threats of a military attack. Rohani served as the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and chief nuclear negotiator at the time. Jalili said that Iran’s interests were met when the United States was caught in the quagmires in Iraq and Afghanistan. Those who fostered the illusion that after the wars against Afghanistan and Iraq, the U.S. would turn against Iran made a “mistake in their assessment” because Washington then proposed negotiations with Iran to resolve the Iraq conflict, Jalili noted. He also criticized Aref for mentioning the name of former reformist president Mohammad Khatami, saying it is a “great injustice” if one mentions the name of a person who “disobeyed the law and created many problems for the country,” an indirect reference to Khatami, who expressed doubts about the result of the 2009 presidential election. “If anybody creates fitna (sedition) after an election, the raising of his name is a great injustice. The law states that if the Guardian Council confirms an election then no one, even in the post of president, has the right to question the result of the election,” Jalili noted. Gharazi would promote efficient management system Gharazi said if he is elected president, he would promote republicanism and an efficient management system and would not allow the price of the Iranian rial to fluctuate against the U.S. dollar.