ArmInfo.Iran's two remaining presidential candidates, Massoud Pezeshkian and Saeed Jalili, are in a fierce battle to win over the critical pool of likely voters in the second round, which will be held on July 5, IRNA reports.
According to the source, "Both campaigns are pulling out all the stops to sway undecided voters and turn out their supporters in a high-stakes bid to win the high office.
In a statement posted on social media, Masoud Pezeshkian vowed that his administration would firmly oppose mandatory police patrols, internet filtering, and external pressures.
"I guarantee that the entire government will stand against forced patrols, the filtering and un-filtering game and external pressures in all meetings and with full force," he wrote.
The message comes just days before the July 5 runoff election, where Pezeshkian, a former health minister and senior lawmaker, will face off former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili.
Meanwhile, Jalili made a campaign stop at the Tehran Bazaar on Sunday, where he highlighted his plans to address the main challenges facing Iranian businesses and merchants.
"Since 2018, we have held numerous meetings with various trade unions and business owners to discuss the obstacles they face," he said. "We have identified 17 key problems and have developed plans to solve them."
Jalili noted that his visit to the bustling market was aimed at hearing directly from the business community and ensuring that their concerns are reflected in his campaign platform.
The candidate emphasized that engaging with the private sector and addressing their needs would be a top priority for his administration."
Notably, the first round of voting in Iran took place on June 28 and none of the four candidates received more than 50% of the votes. Massoud Pezeshkian and Saeed Jalili became the favorites of the race. 61,452,321 voters have the right to vote in the presidential elections of the 14th convocation. Extraordinary elections are being held in Iran in connection with the death of the country's president Ebrahim Raisi as a result of the helicopter crash on May 19.
