Iran

The six candidates are Mostafa Aqa-Mirsalim, Mostafa Hashemi-Taba, Es’haq Jahangiri, Hassan Rouhani, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Seyyed Ebrahim Raeisi. There will be three live televised debates in total.

During a three-hour debate carried live on state television, the pragmatist Rouhani's opponents sought to denigrate his economic record and said that the Islamic Republic would be harmed if he were re-elected on May 19.

Iran will air live debates on state television ahead of May’s presidential election, the interior ministry said Sunday, reversing a decision to show recorded versions that had triggered an outcry.

“Live debates in [2009] had heavy costs and we should consider their entire aspects beforehand,” Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said on Saturday, ISNA reported.

La Comisión del Monitoreo de la Campaña Electoral ha anulado este sábado la decisión de no transmitir en directo el debate entre los seis candidatos a los comicios presidenciales de la República Islámica de Irán, ha informado el portavoz de la Cartera del Interior, Seyed Salman Samani.

The live broadcast of the debates among the presidential candidates would be “one of the best ways” to enhance the Iranians’ awareness and help them identify the best hopeful, Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Movahedi Kermani said in an address to worshipers at the weekly Friday prayers in the Iranian capital

Live debates have been a hugely popular feature of the last two elections in 2009 and 2013, with many analysts saying Rouhani's performance was key to his surprise victory last time.

Iran’s state TV and Radio broadcaster IRIB will air live political debates on presidential election starting Monday evening 20:35 local time.

"Did you see the debate and the way of their speaking, accusing and mocking each other? Do we want such a democracy in our country? Do we want such elections in our country?" Rouhani said, speaking to a crowd in the Iranian city of Arak.

The eight hopefuls seeking Iran's highest elected office are to take part in a televised group debate on Friday, with its ailing economy hit by international sanctions topping the agenda.