Ebrahim Raeisi on the campaign trail

Read quick updates on what Seyyed Ebrahim Raeisi says on the campaign trail below. Check routinely for new content.

[Tuesday, June 15, 2021]

Iranian presidential candidate Ebrahim Raeisi met with shareholders in Iran’s stock exchange market who lost savings in a market tumble last year, promising to follow up on their demand for the return of their lost investment in equities.

Raeisi also promised to follow up on a government pledge to inject 200 million dollars into the equity market, which crashed when sudden and large investment led to the bursting of a bubble in summer 2020.

“Currently in our country, the situation of the market, production, and trade is not predictable; people say ‘Let’s wait and see what happens next week’ when they want to sell even some minor product,” the Iranian presidential candidate said, stressing stability in the market.

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[Saturday, June 12, 2021]

Iran’s third presidential debate: Part I

The seven candidates in Iran’s 2021 presidential election held the third and final debate on live television on Saturday (June 12). Here is part one of that debate.

Iran’s third presidential debate: Part II

The seven candidates in Iran’s 2021 presidential election held the third and final debate on live television on Saturday (June 12). Here is part two of that debate.

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[Wednesday, June 9, 2021]

A busy day of campaigning for Raeisi. He paid a brief visit to the city of Ahvaz, Khuzestan Province, and addressed the supporters who had gathered at the Takhti Stadium of the city to welcome him.

He said the province has great capacities and can turn into an industrial, agricultural and tourism hub in the country.

Raeisi said there are many capable local managers who can help overcome the unemployment issue in the province and pave the way for its growth, “they have been ignored” so far.

The presidential candidate vowed an all-out fight against corruption and said he form a coalition with all the Iranian people against injustice, corruption, and politicking.

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[Wednesday, June 9, 2021]

During a visit to University of Tehran, Raesi said had voiced opposition to a decision by the President Hassan Rouhani administration to abruptly increase fuel prices in 2019.

The decision prompted a series of peaceful protests in several cities, which later turned violent and deadly with the intervention of riotous elements tied to foreign governments.

Raeisi said the administration did refer the measure to the Supreme Council of Economic Coordination among the three branches of the government, but only after having approved it at the cabinet.

He said the administration had actually been required by law to increase fuel prices, but it failed to implement it for five years and decided to do so abruptly.

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[Wednesday, June 9, 2021]

Raeisi said he had set an agenda for securing a removal of the sanctions imposed on the Iranian nation, emphasizing the need for the country’s economy to be fortified in the face of both sanctions or any other shock that may hit.

He told reporters that the Iranian administration should do all in its power “to confront those who seek to breach the Iranian nation’s rights and pursue the removal of the sanctions.”

“Definitely, action should be taken to [bring about] the removal of the sanctions, and the strategy [to do so] is already there,” he said. “Iran’s economy should be built in a way that neither sanctions nor any other shocks, from the coronavirus to flooding and incidents, can shake it.”

Raeisi said the current economic conditions in the country was “unacceptable” since the people are not able to predict their financial situation due to constant fluctuations.

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[Tuesday, June 8, 2021]

Iran’s second presidential debate: Part I

The seven candidates in Iran’s 2021 presidential election held a second debate on live television on Tuesday (June 8). Here is part one of that debate.

Iran’s second presidential debate: Part II

The seven candidates in Iran’s 2021 presidential election held a second debate on live television on Tuesday (June 8). Here is part two of that debate.

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[Monday, June 7, 2021]

At a question-and-answer TV show with the elite, Raeisi described production as a factor that helps the country build up power and said Iran needs to be strengthened, especially in the sphere of economy.

Raeisi said the economy should be fortified to the extent that it would be able to stand unshaken in the face of hostilities, sanctions, natural disasters, and pandemics.

On economy-related marriage issues, he said the youth mainly blame unemployment and high housing prices for their failure to start families.

The two issues, Raeisi said, should be seriously tackled besides reducing other costs for the youth to get married.

“I have already started the construction of housing units in [the city of] Mashhad, where 600 housing units have been built in 10 blocks for couples who are studying at university,” he said.

Raeisi said 40 percent of the country’s production capacity remains unused today.

“In the Judiciary, we activated 2,000 production units, but hundreds of others remain to get functional. We can resolve the employment issue through the activation of these [dormant] capacities,” he said.

The Judiciary chief said manufactures should be protected against the banking system, which charges them with an interest rate of 35 percent for providing them with facilities, although the maximum interest rate should not exceed 18 percent.

“We asked the administration to prevent that, but it said it could not work this out with the banks,” said Raeisi the Central Bank should take control and impose its management on banks instead of making mere recommendations to them.

“A good manager is one who gets different minds, experts, and capacities involved in the job. We need to bring together a harmonious economic team that has convergence. Things should be done with consultations with experts,” Raeisi said.

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[Saturday, June 5, 2021]

During the first televised presidential debate focused on economy, Raeisi said there was a need to remove the obstacles in the way of promoting domestic production.

To facilitate growth in that field, the administration should “add to the attractions” of production and, at the same time, “decrease the attractions of non-productive activities” by lowering and increasing taxes for manufacturers and those involved in non-productive activities, respectively.

Manufactures should also be exempt from getting certain permissions, while smuggling should be seriously dealt with in support of domestic products, Raeisi said.

Elsewhere, Raeisi hit back at rival Reformist candidates Mohsen Mehr-Alizadeh and Nasser Hemmati, who had sharply attacked him in their opening speeches, and asked, “Aren’t you tired of all these insults and allegations,” while the people are looking for honesty on the part of their official?

“The people have already witnessed my record and those of yours,” said Raeisi. “If the people’s issues will be resolved through insulting me, OK then! Go ahead and insult me.”

He said the people knew he had “no red lines” in dealing with violations. 

Raeisi described management as “the missing link in the chain” of the country and said the people do not pay attention to the quarrels and are merely looking for strong managers.

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