TV Viewers Disappointed With Iran's Proreform Candidate

The first TV interviews with the leading 'reformist' and conservative candidates on state television Monday appear to have disappointed both politicians and ordinary voters.

Although all the candidates have similar weakness according to viewers comments on social media, most criticisms were directed at proreform candidate Massoud Pezeshkian and conservative hopeful Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

Pezeshkian's blunders and weaknesses came as a surprise to viewers who had high expectations of him. Many anticipated that he would be as neatly dressed and articulate as former reformist President Mohammad Khatami.

Many criticized Pezeshkian for his more than casual outfit, while other candidates appeared nice and tidy. But not all the criticisms of the ‘reformist’ candidate was about his appearance. As one observer noted: "The way he dressed was disrespectful to the people. He spoke about the economy for nearly 40 minutes and did not mention the word 'sanction' even once. Generally, he said that he would continue former President Ebrahim Raisi's path and will follow his policies. He reiterated that he does not have any plan or policy of his own."

One of the key issues in this election is the future of the country’s battered economy and the steep fall in living standards. US and other sanctions are a key factor in devastating an already weak economy, mired by state controlled, lack of competitiveness and mismanagement. Ordinary workers now make around $200 a month in the capital Tehran, while Iran sits on vast oil and natural gas reserves.

A pro-reform politician Mahmoud Sadeghi wrote that "based on the initial review of proreform voters' views about Pezeshkian's interview, he appeared less than their expectations. If the only reformist candidate continues his campaign in the same way, he cannot encourage voters to go to the polls for him."

Iranian journalist Mohammad Aghazadeh wrote: "The televised interview showed that none of the conservative candidates were as loyal as the reformist Pezeshkian to former President Raisi's policies and the government's conservative guidelines. I think he is the most loyal individual to the hard core of political power in Iran."

Another Iranian journalist, Gholamreza Nouri Ala, advised Pezeshkian to be himself and not to imitate anyone. "Do not shut the people's last outlet for hope!" Meanwhile, an Iranian journalist in London, Homayoun Kheyri opined that "Pezeshkian's first interview was good. He delineated the playground for all the pillars of power in Iran as well as for his rivals and did not offer any irrelevant promise."

Proreform Muslim scholar Yaser Mirdamadi wrote: "Pezeshkian disappointed everyone as he said he has come to continue the old policies, though with minor alteration, not by introducing essential changes."

Ghalibaf faced criticism for stating in his interview that, if elected, he would run his government using the same politicians, statesmen, and staff currently working with the government.

An observer pointed out that when speaking about the economy, Ghalibaf avoided the terms market economy and free market and said instead that progress will come with investment and wealth creation but did not say how.

As observed by one viewer, before broadcasting Ghalibaf's interview, the Iranian state television showed a caption that said the airing of his interview has been delayed as edits had to be made to the tape! During the interview, Ghalibaf said that he was the father of Iran's missile industry.

As Iranian journalist Davoud Heshmati pointed out, it seems that the candidates have missed their first opportunity to let viewers know about their plans and ideas for the future.