Local Editor

The six candidates of the 12th Iranian presidential election begin the second live televised debate.

During the debate on Friday, the candidates further elaborated on their plans and agendas as they campaign for the May vote.

The hopefuls outlined their agendas on domestic and foreign policy as well as cultural issues.

Iranians will go to the polls on May 19 to elect the country's next president.

In an interview upon arrival at the headquarters of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting [IRIB], the incumbent Iranian president, Hassan Rouhani, who is running for a second term, said debates in principle aim to acquaint the nation with the thoughts and agendas of the candidates.

If quotes are precisely cited in the debates and there is no character assassination, blackwashing or slander, that debate is true and genuine, Rouhani said.

The Iranian president was apparently referring to the allegations made against him by another candidate in the previous debate, which he has vehemently dismissed as misquotes.

The previous debate, which took place last week, revolved around social issues and involved a verbal back and forth among Qalibaf on the one side and Rouhani and Jahangiri on the other.

The debate gathered Rouhani, First Vice President Es'haq Jahangiri, Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, member of Iran's Expediency Council Mostafa Aqa-Mirsalim, Seyyed Ebrahim Raeisi, the current custodian of the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza [PBUH] in the northeastern city of Mashhad and former vice president Mostafa Hashemi-Taba.

On April 30, Rouhani lodged a complaint with Iran's Election Campaign Monitoring Committee against Qalibaf over three different accusations leveled against him during the first live TV debate. Rouhani complained to the committee that he was not given enough time to respond to Qalibaf's accusations.

The current mayor of Tehran has also filed a complaint with Iran's Election Campaign Monitoring Committee about the additional time given to Rouhani.

Raeisi also filed a written complaint with the election monitoring committee about the procedure of the first live debate.

Aqa-Mirsalim, another presidential candidate, also sent a letter to the polls monitoring committee in protest at the way various issues were raised in the debate, saying they had nothing to do with the main subject of the debate.

Lots were drawn to determine the seating arrangement of the hopefuls.

Morteza Heidari, as in the first round, was the moderator today. There had been complaints against him by the Qalibaf camp after the first round.

Heidari laid out the format of the debate and read out a statement by the election monitoring committee, asking the candidates to observe the rules and regulations of the debate.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team