Former Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and ex-Minister of Housing, Roads and Urban Development Abbas Akhondi have formally requested airtime on state television to respond to "accusations" made during the second presidential debate.
The requests come after Alireza Zakani, a presidential candidate, made pointed criticisms of Rouhani's administration during the debate.
Zakani referred to Rouhani's eight-year term as "dark," claiming it "destroyed the country". He asserted that after Rouhani, the three years under President Ebrahim Raisi have been more beneficial.
In a letter, Rouhani's office accused some certified candidates of "defiantly violating moral and legal principles."
This marks Rouhani's second request for airtime during the current campaign season to address what he termed as "accusations."
Abbas Akhondi also swiftly responded, writing to the head of state media, demanding time to refute what he calls "false information" attributed to him by Zakani.
Akhondi emphasized his right to defend himself, requesting the opportunity before the next debate.
The state broadcasting organization had previously announced that individuals mentioned in the debates would be given a chance to respond, following a decision by the election council.
These developments come against a backdrop of apparent public disengagement from the election process.
A recent survey by the Iranian Students Polling Agency (ISPA) revealed that 73 percent of people did not watch the first debate at all, while 36 percent did not follow the election news.
Only seven percent of respondents reported following the news "very much."
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