The following are some of the issues addressed by candidates Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Mir-Hossein Mousavi:
Inflation
Mousavi has vowed to reduce the inflation rate to a single digit figure through monetary policies and by boosting production.
According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Iran's average inflation rate was 26 percent in 2008, up more than 10 percent from 15 percent in 2004.
Ahmadinejad has blamed 'heavy global inflation' for Iran's current inflation rate, saying Iran now has a 'stable economic situation'.
Economic growth
Mousavi has stressed the need for boosting the private sector in all economic sectors.
Ahmadinejad's government has recently sped up the privatization of state companies under Article 44 of Iran's Constitution. Iran has so far sold a fraction of three state banks - Bank Mellat, Bank Tejarat and Bank Saderat.
Ahmadinejad plans to pursue his economic reform plan, the key element of which was rejected by Iran's parliament in March. His plan aims to remove energy subsidies, compensating it with direct cash payments.
Mousavi has proposed targeting subsidies gradually, saying an abrupt change could cause an economic shock.
Iran's nuclear program
Mousavi believes Iran's 'general policy' regarding its nuclear program is the use of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. However, he has stressed that Tehran is ready for talks on what some countries consider as 'diversions' in the country's nuclear program.
The UN Security Council has imposed three rounds of sanctions against Iran since late 2006. The United States has also imposed unilateral measures and pressured banks and companies from other countries to halt dealings with Iran.
Ahmadinejad has shrugged of the impact of UN and US sanctions against the country, saying Iran has managed to develop its energy sector by investing oil revenues in oil and gas projects. He said in May that Iran had an economic growth of 5-6 percent.
Relations with the United States
Mousavi believes the beginning of relations with the US is not a 'taboo', considering Washington's 'change of tone' since President Barack Obama took office.
Both Mousavi and Ahmadinejad have called for 'practical change' in the US stance toward Iran.
These could include removing Iran from the US list of terrorism sponsors and unfreezing billions of dollars in Iranian assets seized in the United States after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Ahmadinejad says he will invite his US counterpart Barack Obama to a debate if elected for a second term.
No comments:
Post a Comment