Iran’s presidential candidates on Monday accused each other of having no solution for the country’s problems ahead of Friday's runoff election aimed at choosing a successor for the late President Ebrahim Raisi, who died last month in a helicopter crash.
During a more than two-hour debate on public TV, reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian attacked his competitor, Saeed Jalili, a hard-line former nuclear negotiator, for his lack of experience, saying: “Tell me, what single company have you ever managed to make you capable of running the country?
Jalili, who is known as the “Living Martyr” after losing a leg in the 1980s Iran-Iraq war and is famous among Western diplomats for his haranguing lectures and hard-line stances, defended himself highlighting his career and several positions held, including that of top nuclear negotiator.
Pezeshkian further questioned his opponent on what plans he would have for reaching a nuclear deal, with Jalili responding he would approach it "based on strength not weakness,” without providing details.
Jalili accused Pezeshkian of having no plans for managing the country, saying his presidency would drive the country to a “backward position,” as it was under relatively moderate former President Hassan Rouhani (2013-2021). Rouhani struck a nuclear deal with world powers that capped Iran's uranium enrichment in return to lifting sanctions but later, in 2018, President Trump pulled the U.S. out from the landmark deal abruptly restoring harsh sanctions on Iran.
Jalili said that “with the support of people,” Iran would achieve an economic growth of 8% a year, a promise Pezeshkian mocked, saying authorities should be allowed to “execute him if he failed” to deliver on it.
Iran must implement "a dynamic foreign policy” if it wants to have a successful economy, Jalili said, adding that it should not be limited to those nations that it has a problem with — a reference to the U.S. and the western world. Instead, he said, "Iran should look to the other 200 nations in the world where “foreign relations should be improved."
Pezeshkian said his foreign policy will be based on “engagement with the world" including engaging in "negotiations for lifting sanctions.”
Both sides promised to address the problems of the country's poor, workers, women, ethnic groups and religious minorities, and vowed to provide better and faster internet — a plea to a younger generation that showed apathy during Friday's vote.
Pezeshkian and Jalili also said the low turnout in the first round — the lowest-ever poll turnout in the Islamic Republic’s history — should be probed.
“It is not acceptable that some 60 percent (of voters) did not cast a ballot,” said Pezeshkian.
The candidates will face Tuesday in a second and last debate.
As Hurricane Beryl rips toward the southeast Caribbean, Global Affairs Canada is warning travellers to avoid non-essential travel to Jamaica as well as several countries in the region.
A Delta flight from Detroit to Amsterdam was diverted to New York's Kennedy Airport on Wednesday after passengers were served spoiled food, airline officials said.
Nearly four out of 10 Ontarians say that they are considering leaving the province due to the high cost of housing, a new survey has found.
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Financial advisors can be an excellent resource for busy consumers, but recent allegations against employees of major Canadian banks have raised questions about the integrity of financial advice. Personal finance contributor Christopher Liew addresses some of these concerns and highlights the distinction between unethical practices and the genuine value that good advisors can offer.
An eastern Ontario doctor facing four charges of first-degree murder and negligence causing death in connection with the deaths of four seniors at a Hawkesbury hospital was acquitted on all charges at the Ottawa courthouse on Tuesday.
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Pro-Palestinian demonstrators at the University of Toronto, facing court orders to dismantle their weeks-old encampment, started to take down tents and tarps on Wednesday morning, though vowed to continue their campus activism.
Authorities are asking for the public's help identifying a suspect whose pants caught fire after an alleged arson in B.C.'s Lower Mainland earlier this year.
Newlyweds from London, Ont., are trapped in Jamaica, as Category 5 Hurricane Beryl approaches.
One of two men accused of conspiring to kill Mounties at the border blockade at Coutts, Alta., characterized the protest as a last stand and told his mother there “will be a war” if police moved in.
U.S. President Joe Biden has privately acknowledged that the next stretch of days are critical to whether he can save his reelection bid for president,.
More than 120 people died in a stampede after a religious gathering in northern India, making it one of the deadliest such accidents in recent years.
A Delta flight from Detroit to Amsterdam was diverted to New York's Kennedy Airport on Wednesday after passengers were served spoiled food, airline officials said.
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An Israeli strike in southern Lebanon on Wednesday killed a senior Hezbollah commander as tensions between the two sides continue to boil, a Hezbollah official told The Associated Press.
In her dissent from a Supreme Court opinion that afforded former President Donald Trump broad immunity, Justice Sonia Sotomayor pondered the potential doomsday consequences: A president could pocket a bribe for a pardon, stage a military coup to retain power, order the killing of a rival by the Navy's SEAL Team Six -- and be protected from prosecution for all of it.
The federal government says it is naming Lt.-Gen. Jennie Carignan as defence chief, making her the first woman to hold the Canadian Armed Forces' top job.
The co-chair of the Liberals' Ontario campaign is suggesting the party's candidate in the Toronto—St. Paul's byelection needed more time to campaign before the vote.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is heading to Washington, D.C., next week to take part in the NATO leaders' summit.
People who take Ozempic or Wegovy may have a higher risk of developing a rare form of blindness, a new study suggests. Still, doctors say it shouldn’t deter patients from using the medicines to treat diabetes or obesity.
When Hannah was seven years old, she told her parents she didn’t want to be afraid of food anymore.
Eating higher levels of ultraprocessed food may shorten lifespans by more than 10 per cent, according to a new, unpublished study of over 500,000 people whom researchers followed for nearly three decades.
Grapes have been intertwined with the story of humanity for millennia, providing the basis for wines produced by our ancestors thousands of years ago — but that may not have been the case if dinosaurs hadn’t disappeared from the planet, according to new research.
Marine mammal rescuers in British Columbia are searching for an entangled humpback whale in the waters off northern Vancouver Island.
The former Apollo 8 astronaut best known for taking the iconic 'Earthrise' photo, who died last month while piloting a plane over the waters off Washington state, was doing a flyby near a friend's house when the fatal accident occurred, federal authorities said Tuesday.
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Producers of the western movie "Rust" may have to forgo a robust economic incentive as they try to sell the film to distributors and fulfill financial obligations to the immediate family of a cinematographer who was fatally shot by Alec Baldwin during rehearsal in 2021.
Jin, the oldest member of K-pop supergroup BTS, will be an Olympic torchbearer at the Paris games after recently completing his mandatory military service.
Canada recorded a bigger-than-expected trade deficit of $1.93 billion in May, the third consecutive monthly shortfall, as exports declined faster than imports, data showed on Wednesday.
Quest Diagnostics said on Wednesday it would acquire Canada-based LifeLabs from pension plan owner OMERS for about $1.35 billion, including net debt.
Health Canada is recalling thousands of popular heat pumps across the country due to a potential risk of 'excessive heat exposure.'
Barry Nussbaum, a Toronto-based family lawyer who has counselled countless couples, offers advice about the details you don't want to overlook before getting married.
When Ruth Harrison and Dan Phillips relocated from the U.S. to Ecuador two years ago, their main goal was to enjoy a peaceful retirement. Life had other ideas.
Italian immigrant Caesar Cardini is said to have invented the dish on July 4, 1924, at his restaurant, Caesar's Place, in Tijuana, Mexico. It was a steamy night, and Cardini was struggling to feed an influx of Californians who had crossed the border to escape Prohibition.
A controversial gesture made by Turkey player Merih Demiral at soccer's European Championship has ignited a diplomatic brouhaha between the country and host nation Germany.
Mark Cavendish made cycling history on Wednesday, winning a record-breaking 35th stage at the Tour de France.
Bronny James, the son of NBA all-time leading scorer LeBron James, says there is 'an amplified amount of pressure' playing alongside his father with the Los Angeles Lakers.
CDK Global said 'substantially all' of the nearly 15,000 car dealerships that use its software across North America are back online to its core management system, almost two weeks since a cyber incident caused a software blackout.
Transport Canada recalled various vehicles over the last week, including Kia, Toyota, Volkswagen and Porsche cars.
It used to be cash was king and that you could get a better deal if you paid for a car in full, but now many dealers want you to finance your purchase so they can make more money.
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A new documentary filmed in Nova Scotia by marine biologist and veterinarian Dr. Chris Harvey Clark explores the increased number of white shark observations in Canadian waters.
Irish singer Niall Horan had to ditch his car and walk to Scotiabank Arena where his concert was being held last weekend because the traffic was 'too bad' downtown.
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Travellers flying with WestJet continue to watch as the airline cancels more flights due to a sudden strike by its mechanics union.
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A grandfather and grandson duo proudly graduated alongside each other at the same northern Manitoba school.
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Pro-Palestinian demonstrators at the University of Toronto, facing court orders to dismantle their weeks-old encampment, started to take down tents and tarps on Wednesday morning, though vowed to continue their campus activism.
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Legal Aid Alberta says it plans to end its services next week over a contract dispute with the province.
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Winnipeg firefighters had their hands full over the long weekend as they tackled several significant blazes in less than 48 hours.
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A Winnipeg business owner is speaking out after criminals hit her establishment three times in just over a month, including a bizarre trailer fire.
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A Sask. man who escaped RCMP custody in Dinsmore, Sask. has been found dead.
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The Port Dover lift bridge has reopened following a two-vehicle collision Wednesday morning.
Guelph police are investigating another makeup and beauty product theft in the city.
A Sask. man who escaped RCMP custody in Dinsmore, Sask. has been found dead.
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After successive summers of drought and smoke from forest fires across many parts of Saskatchewan in recent years, those longing for rain got plenty of it last month.
The owner of Thornloe Cheese announced Wednesday it has a tentative agreement in place to sell the northern Ontario cheesemaker to Mississauga-based Triple ‘A’ Cheese.
An Ontario man who wanted to spend time with his family in Florida was hospitalized after suffering a cardiac arrest at the airport as he was about to fly back to Canada.
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Police in St. Thomas are investigating a death. Police and fire officials are on scene in the area of Hiawatha and Curtis Street.
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Newlyweds from London, Ont., are trapped in Jamaica, as Category 5 Hurricane Beryl approaches.
Barrie Police Sgt. Bruce Gardiner has been exonerated.
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) in Collingwood and the Blue Mountains busted a young driver allegedly speeding nearly double the legal limit.
It's been nearly two years since six young people died in a crash at a construction site along McKay Road. Now one of the victim's family is demanding action in a new lawsuit against many entities including the City.
A Maidstone couple discovers an unexpected object while doing landscaping in their backyard.
A trick or a treat? The Town of Kingsville wants residents to weigh in on rescheduling Halloween.
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Mounties in Kelowna say a suspect is at large after a man was stabbed in the city Sunday afternoon.
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With the recent moisture and cooler temperatures, fire bans and restrictions in the Lethbridge area are no longer in effect.
Plenty of tourists will descend on Lethbridge to see what the city offers. Locals, too, will have no shortage of activities this weekend.
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A group of Elliot Lake seniors and homeowners who have been fighting the Canadian government and by extension the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission for the last three years over the radioactive backfill used under their homes will be getting their day in court on Wednesday.
A researcher from the Netherlands is looking to identify the families of a couple of dozen Indigenous heroes who gave their lives while fighting for freedom in World War II. It’s all part of a larger remembrance project she’s working on.
The union representing inshore fish harvesters in Newfoundland and Labrador is calling on the federal government to reverse its recent decision to reopen the commercial Northern cod fishery.
As part of the emotional ceremony honouring Newfoundland and Labrador's Unknown Soldier, the province's national anthem, The Ode to Newfoundland, was sung. Military members received special permission from defence officials to salute the Ode.
The remains of a soldier from Newfoundland killed in the battlefields of France during the First World War will be laid to rest in St. John's Monday, bringing an emotional end to a years-long effort in a place still shaken and forever changed by the bloodshed.
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