Age: 70                                                            

Education: Subspecialty in cardiac surgery         

Career: MP, ex-health minister                           

Political affiliation: reformist

Votes in first round: 10,415,991

Percentage of votes: 42.45%

Age: 59

Education: PhD in Political Science

Career: The Leader's representative in the Supreme National Security Council, ex-nuclear negotiator, ex-deputy FM for European and American Affairs

Political affiliation:  Front of Islamic Revolution Endurance

Votes in first round: 9,473,298

Percentage of votes: 38.61%

Politics

Restoring public trust

He argues that the key to solving the country's problems lies in fostering internal unity and cohesion and stopping mutual accusations. He believes that society should not be driven into conflict with religion or faith to build trust in religious democracy.

He believes that public trust can be restored by improving the behavior of officials. According to him, in the country’s political culture, genuine

work should take precedence over mere showmanship. He believes people need to see real results to trust politicians and their programs.

Engagement with the Leader

He expresses his unwavering support for the Leader, stating that from the moment he registered, he has committed to following the Leader’s general policies. He believes the country's salvation depends on implementing the Leader's policies, including the Seventh Development Plan.

He promises that if he is elected president, he will pursue Iran's progress under the guidance of the Leader with the necessary determination and speed. All officials should work diligently to fulfill the Leader's directives, he says.

Engagement with society, youth, and elites

He believes that to fix the economy, we need empathy, participation, and trust in experts and specialists. He emphasizes that we are not weaker than any other nation and that we should provide opportunities for girls, women, and youth to flourish in society.

He asserts that just as the country was able to defeat Saddam Hussein during the Iran-Iraq War with the help of the youth, it can now overcome current challenges by relying on them. He also

advocates for creating markets for scientists, enabling the country to compete globally, elevate itself, and enhance its power through technology.

Reforming the administrative system

He insists that administrative reform is independent of other organizations. To reform the system, one must evaluate its performance, according to him. Additionally, he emphasizes that discussions should involve experts in each field, not individuals with connections to higher-ups.

He argues that the governing system needs to be reorganized. He points out that the administrative system has many weaknesses that lead to the waste and destruction of significant resources. He insists that corruption must be eradicated and that transparency and clarity should be paramount.

Foreign Policy

JCPOA

He stresses the JCPOA's importance for improving relations with neighboring countries. He questions the validity of claims against the agreement, citing the Raisi administration's efforts to revive it as evidence of its importance.

He criticizes the JCPOA, claiming it yielded minimal benefits for Iran while causing economic hardship. He argues the dollar's value against the Iranian rial skyrocketed and sanctions increased under the agreement.

Neighborhood Policy

He emphasizes building strong and comprehensive relations with neighbors to create a unified and prosperous region. He aims to attract foreign investment for economic development plans.

He advocates prioritizing economic relations with neighboring countries, turning Iranian embassies into economic hubs. In his opinion, relations with neighboring countries can provide Iran with abundant economic opportunities.

FATF

He views FATF membership as crucial for addressing Iran's economic woes and improving international relations. He argues it is necessary to overcome unjust sanctions and improve Iran's position in international trade.

He argues against joining the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF), claiming it is unnecessary and that Iran can effectively implement many of its clauses without formal membership.

Axis of Resistance

He focuses on strategic planning to combat the Zionist regime as a central element of Iran's foreign policy. He envisions dedicated working groups to address the Palestine issue and promote a regional and Islamic approach to resolving it.

He sees resistance as a cornerstone of stability, progress, and liberation in West Asia. He prioritizes supporting resistance groups and empowering them to help promote the Islamic Revolution in their respective countries.

Relations with East and West

He stresses the importance of a balanced foreign policy, engaging with both the West and the East. He favors strategic and reciprocal relationships with China and Russia, advocating against a single-option approach.

He advocates for a diversified foreign policy, moving beyond reliance on the U.S. and Europe. He believes Iran can become a regional hub for trade, and criticizes the Rouhani government for missing opportunities in the East due to its focus on the JCPOA

Economy

The first step

“With this level of strife within the government and the gap between the people and the government, it is not possible to do any major work to solve the economic problems.

“I want to put a model of policy-making and political ethics aimed at convergence and harmony at the top of my agenda and reduce the intensity of political conflicts and the gap between the government and the people and trust economic experts,” he explained.

“First, increasing foreign currency earnings and secondly, job creation, if we are worried about some issues such as high prices, inflation, etc. These are the roots.”

Inflation

Regarding the plans for curbing inflation, Pezeshkian believes the only way to reduce inflation and boost economic growth is to negotiate with the world and be open to economic relations with the world.

“Whenever we negotiated and agreed with the world, the inflation rate decreased and the economic growth rate increased, and whenever we did not intend to negotiate, the economic growth rate decreased and the inflation rate increased,” he said.

According to Jalili, however, if the forex market is managed, inflation will also be controlled and restrained.

“The country's foreign exchange resources are much more than its expenses, and if a specific structure and prioritization of foreign exchange expenses can be determined and managed, it is possible to prevent the increase in inflation,” he said.

Tax collection

Pezeshkian insists on levying taxes and believes that tax evasions should be prevented by creating appropriate mechanisms and connecting the national code and postal code of people to the banking network.

Jalili on the other hand believes that the government should increase the taxes on people with huge incomes and introduce tax exemptions and discounts for lower classes and small and medium production companies.

Subsidy

Pointing out that the higher classes of the society currently receive more subsidies than those with lower incomes, Pezeshkian emphasized that this situation must change.

Jalili believes that energy subsidies should be cut and paid to the people in cash.

Privatization

In this regard Pezeshkian believes that the main economic challenge of the country is the failure to properly implement Article 44 of the Constitution and the order of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution regarding the strengthening of the private sector and cooperatives.

“In some cases, I do not believe in privatization. For example, I believe that the field of health and treatment cannot be left to the market, but I agree with a free market in other fields,” he said.

Jalili, however believes that “one of the mistakes we have made in privatizations is that we have looked at privatization only as an income. This is wrong.”

“Many of the companies that have been privatized are holding the capitals of the country and have a strategic role. We should leave the companies to the private sector based on improving their efficiency, and this should be a condition. The next important issue is transparency. The method of assignment should be redefined and the valuation criteria should be revised.”

The Stock Market

With regard to the stock market, Pezeshkian relies more on the opinion of experts and says: “my plan for the stock market is to listen to the experts according to scientific evidence in the first place.”

He believes that the stock market problems are the result of the country’s economic problems, improper government interference in businesses and international sanctions.

Jalili, on the other hand, says the stock market should be the symbol of the real national economy, so the government should support the small shareholders who are active in the stock market.

Housing

So far, Pezeshkian has not announced a clear vision and plan for resolving housing problems, however, he believes that this problem will not be solved by the government's intervention and the construction of government housing.

“We do not have land shortage, but there are some problems regarding land monopoly and discrimination. In the 7th development plan, the Parliament approved that 20 percent of the country's lands can be used for residential buildings, and according to this, nearly 330,000 hectares can be considered for housing, which is a very good opportunity.”

Society

Women

I am strongly opposed to the “morality police” because this is a humiliation for women.

My administration will support the "morality police" because this is the implementation of the law.

Internet

I will remove internet filtering. [Social media] are the place for cultural exchange.

We should promote domestic social media platforms to maximize the opportunities and minimize the threats of using the internet.

Education

We will place the priority on expanding schools in remote and underdeveloped areas.

A strong educational system is the prerequisite for surge in national development. Each school should be a unit for development.

Environment

I will resist any project that may harm the environment. Development should be based on environmental protection.

We should pay special attention to energy saving and optimizing the consumption of energy to help protect the environment.

Domestic tourism

Pezeshkian has promised his supporters that he would save Lake Urmia from drying up. “With your help, we will save Lake Urmia.” Over the past years, many measures have been taken to save this important tourist destination in northwestern Iran, but none have yielded definitive results.

Jalili has promised three days of free travel to Iranian nationals.

“Every Iranian can get a few nights of free stay in government-owned accommodations each year… Travel should not be something luxurious and inaccessible.”

Tourism economy

Pezeshkian recently underscored the importance of the tourism industry and the necessity of addressing its issues. He emphasized that developing tourism can help improve the national economy and requires special attention from the government.

Jalili pledged in a televised debate that he seeks to increase tourism revenues. “Today, we have specific plans on how to use tourism in foreign policy to increase the country's revenues…” He, however, did not mention the details of these specific plans in his remarks.

Culture

Cinema

We have issues in the fields of cinema and art that need to be addressed.

We have valuable infrastructure for cultural productions, but we need a comprehensive plan.

Lifestyle

We should start education from school and kindergarten as we can change the lifestyle of children through school education.

A Muslim woman can be a scholar and a role model, and be active in various fields.

Cultural Management

I will strive to make our government a cultural government, not one that governs culture.

A cultural manager should have the necessary qualifications and be recognized among artists and cultural workers.

Video Game

Game developers can be profitable for our country if they fill the space with games that cater to children's tastes.

We have 34 million gamers who generate a trillion-dollar economic cycle. This is an opportunity for us.