Iran's presidential candidates debate economic policies ahead of voting

Six presidential candidates discussed Iran's economic problems in a four-hour live debate on state TV, ahead of the June 28 presidential election following a helicopter crash last month that killed President Ebrahim Raisi and seven others.

The debate on Monday was the first of five planned in the 10 days remaining before the vote in a shortened campaign to replace Raisi, a hard-line protg of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei once floated as a possible successor to the 85-year-old cleric.

The candidates were to discuss their proposals and plans for Iran's spiralling economy, struggling under sanctions from the United States and other Western nations.

They all promised they would try and get the sanctions lifted and introduce reforms but none offered any details. The candidates also discussed inflation, the budget deficit, Iran's housing problem and ways to fight corruption.

The June 28 election comes at a time of heightened tensions between Iran and the West over Tehran's rapidl