Kathryn Tyson, Alexandra Braverman, Kitaneh Fitzpatrick, Johanna Moore, Kelly Campa, Ashka Jhaveri, and Nicholas Carl

Information Cutoff: 2:00pm ET

Iranian presidential candidates discussed the economy in the first debate for the upcoming election. The debate occurred on June 17. Below are the key takeaways from what the three presumed frontrunners said in the debate.

• Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf (hardliner): Ghalibaf expressed openness to nuclear negotiations with the West in order to remove sanctions from the economy. Ghalibaf suggested that a phased agreement could work to secure sanctions relief. Ghalibaf’s comments are consistent with reports from Iranian opposition outlets saying that advisers to Ghalibaf have approached Western diplomats in recent weeks. CTP-ISW noted at the time that the outreach is possibly meant to set conditions for the resumption of nuclear negotiations if Ghalibaf becomes president. Ghalibaf also lamented that economic agreements that Iran has signed with China and Russia have not yet been operationalized. Ghalibaf separately identified inflation as one of the most pressing economic issues.

• Saeed Jalili (hardliner). Jalili contrastingly downplayed the importance of nuclear negotiations with the West. Jalili criticized past Iranian presidents, specifically Hassan Rouhani, for relying on international agreements to solve economic issues. Jalili instead promoted an agenda focused on autarkic policies and self-sufficiency. Jalili attributed issues, such as inflation and the struggling private sector, to resource mismanagement.

• Masoud Pezeshkian (reformist). Pezeshkian advocated for expanding economic diplomacy with regional and extra-regional countries. Pezeshkian asserted that Iran needs economic interaction with other countries in order to grow its economy. He specifically called for Iran to increase its exports and foreign investment. Pezeshkian separately stated that international sanctions have been a “disaster” for Iran, which is consistent with his historic support for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

Key Takeaways:

• Iran: Iranian presidential candidates discussed the economy in the first debate for the upcoming election.

• Iran has begun running computer models that could support the research and development of nuclear weapons.

• Gaza Strip: A senior Israeli negotiator told Agence France-Presse that Hamas still holds “dozens” of living hostages in the Gaza Strip.

• An Israeli Army Radio correspondent reported on June 18 details from an IDF Southern Command discussion on Hamas’ military capabilities in the Gaza Strip.

• West Bank: Israeli forces engaged Palestinian fighters in at least two locations in the West Bank.

• Southern Lebanon and Golan Heights: Lebanese Hezbollah conducted three attacks into northern Israel.

• Iraq: The US State Department designated Harakat Ansar Allah al Awfiya (HAAA) as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.

• Yemen: US CENTCOM said that it has destroyed four Houthi radars and one Houthi unmanned surface vessel in Yemen.

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ISW–CTP has launched an interactive map of Israeli ground operations to accompany our daily campaign assessments of the Israel–Hamas war. This product complements the daily static maps that ISW-CTP produces with high-fidelity and, where possible, street-level assessments of the war in Israel.

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