Roundup: Economy tops agenda of Iranian presidential hopefuls

Four of Iranian presidential hopefuls on Wednesday voiced for the immediate and earnest plans to encounter economic challenges facing the country.

According to Press TV, Mostafa Aqa-Mirsalim, who is currently a member of the Expediency Council and former advisor to the presidents, said Wednesday that economic issues were his top priority and underscored the need for focusing on resilient economy.

Mirsalin, as one of the conservative candidates who are also referred to as the principalists, said that Iran needed to rely on an economy which is not dependent on oil revenues.

"We will make efforts to facilitate the country's economic growth in practice. The growth we see now is made from the oil sale, which I do not agree with it at all," he was quoted as saying.

He also said that creating jobs was necessary, however he stressed that curbing economic stagnation in the short run was an urgent matter.

On Wednesday, Eshaq Jahangiri, the first vice president, said that the current Iranian administration had taken big steps towards improving conditions in the country by relying on national capacities, and said further measures needed to be taken to that effect.

The reformist candidate, also pointed to the 2015 landmark nuclear agreement between Iran and six major world powers and said the deal had opened new opportunities for economic development.

Jahangiri, also described unemployment as a major challenge in the country, describing domestic production and investment in the economic sector as the only way to create jobs in the country.

He said that the banking system and foreign resources could be employed to boost investment in the country.

Earlier, Tehran's Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, also underlined the need for relying on domestic capabilities to develop the country's economy.

Qalibaf said Iran enjoys great economic resources and capacities, citing the country's ranking in terms of oil and gas reserves.

The principalist hopeful also blamed President Hassan Rouhani's administration for what he described the mismanagement for unemployment, stagnation and high cost of living in the country.

On Wednesday, Ebrahim Raisi, the other principalist candidate, voiced the support for the poor people and complained about unfavorable economic condition of the most people of the country.

He said that by relying on the potentials of the people and adhering to the principles outlined by the Supreme Leader for the resilient economy, he would be able to tackle the urgent issues in the country, namely the economic issues particularly unemployment.

The former judiciary official and current custodian of the Shiite Imam Reza shrine in northeastern city of Mashhad, also pledged to earnestly confront the corruption in administrative level.

Reportedly, Iran's unemployment rate was estimated to amount to 11.29 percent of the total labor force in 2016.

On Tuesday, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged the presidential hopefuls to rely on the domestic potentials in their programs for economic development, state IRIB TV reported.

"Give words to the people that you won't look beyond the borders to solve the (economic) problems," Khamenei said in a meeting with some of the Iranian political and military officials.

Khamenei said that he is asking the presidential candidates to "promise in their campaigns that for the progress of country, for economic development, they would not rely on the other side of the borders, but on the nation."

He also called on the nation for a high turnout in the upcoming presidential election to disappoint the "enemies of the country."

Last week, Guardian Council of Constitution, Iran's high legislative body, released the names of six candidates for the upcoming presidential election.

The approved candidates include incumbent President Hassan Rouhani, Tehran Mayor Mohammed Baqer Qalibaf, Imam Reza Ebrahim Raisi, the custodian and chairman of the Shrine of Shiite Imam Reza, the first Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri, Mostafa Mirsalim, former adviser to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as president, and former vice president Mostafa Hashemitaba.

The qualified candidates started their election campaigns on early hours of Friday, which will continue until 8 a.m. May 18 local time. Iran's presidential election is slated for May 19. Endit