Former Iranian President Seeks Airtime to Address Debate Accusations

Iran's former president Hassan Rouhani has demanded airtime on Iranian state television for the second time this week to address what he says are "accusations" against him by some presidential debates.

Drawing from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's earlier call for contenders to avoid "slander and refrain from smearing each other," Rouhani's office asserted that these actions have been directed towards him.

During debates, conservative candidates frequently criticized Rouhani's 'reformist' tenure, with Alireza Zakani, Tehran's Mayor and a presidential candidate, remarking, "Rouhani's eight-year tenure was a dark era that worsened the country's situation."

His letter, cited by Iranian media, criticized certain candidates for allegedly “flouting moral and legal standards”, urging the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) to “honor its commitment to provide equitable airtime”.

Hardliners have been accusing Rouhani for Iran's current economic crisis that worsened after the United States withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal six years ago and imposed economic sanctions.

The former president also lodged a complaint following the broadcast of the first debate on Monday.

After his initial complaint, IRIB urged Rouhani to clarify the precise nature of the allegations and specify when they were made during the debates. Despite this, his subsequent complaint, like the first, lacked specific details.