Accusations of promoting capitalism, frowned upon in the cleric-led regime, have been leveled at Rouhani. At the same time, tensions are escalating between Rouhani staffers and Iran’s former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.  A highly conservative leader, unlike his “reformist” successor Rouhani, Ahmadinejad denounces capitalism, calling it bankrupt, and advocating for a new world order.

Mahmoud Alavi, Acting Intelligence Minister, said that intelligence services will closely monitor media outlets in an effort to curb negative campaigning that attempt to mar the images of the presidential candidates.

Rouhani’s promises When he endorsed the nuclear deal to the public, Rouhani promised a quick recovery for Iran’s economy. That this hasn’t occurred has weighed heavily his prospects of being reelected.

As reported by Tehran-based Mehr News Agency, forty senior economic analysts sent an open-ended message to Rouhani regarding his policymaking. They recommended that Rouhani recognize the flaws present in his economic policy as a first step in the right direction, and stressed the need for the government to uphold a five-point “economic basket” to save Iran’s economy.

The economic strategists criticized Rouhani, and put economic policy in direct proportions with outcomes of the nuclear negotiations. “When having openly promised to resolve all economic problems after the nuclear deal, it is only natural that economic wheel initiator would withhold any investment or economic activity, choosing to remain inactive until seeing the results of nuclear deal.” The experts added, “Such an approach led to widespread recession and curtailed labor, leaving a large number of industrial corporates in danger of bankruptcy.”