TEHRAN – Masoud Pezeshkian, the first deputy parliament speaker, asserted that Hassan Rouhani stands a higher chance of winning the May presidential election as compared to other five applicants, ISNA reported on Friday.

Pezeshkian, former health minister and a surgeon, also invited the final presidential hopefuls to avoid slinging mud at each other.

Previous presidential debates in Iran were fraught with trumped-up allegations, mud-slinging, and political infighting, mainly launched by the disqualified Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who was president from 2005 to 2013. 
AK/PA