Iranian presidential debate becomes farce
Three of eight candidates for June vote fight with moderator over format, questions
Iran's first debate among candidates for the presidency degenerated into acrimony live on state television when, instead of discussing the economy, some of the hopefuls resorted to sniping over the questions and format.
The testy exchange between the moderator and reformist Mohammad Reza Aref, moderate Hassan Rohani, and conservative Mohsen Rezaie was the subject of wide ridicule by Iranian viewers who had tuned in for the four-hour discussion on Friday.
They were among eight candidates for the June 14 vote presenting their ideas.
The three, seated with their colleagues in a line of desks in front of a backdrop of flowers and rolling woodland, said the format was farcical and did not allow them to present their plans to the country or engage in dialogue with one another.
Several times they simply refused to answer the question.
"In honour of the dear people of my country I will sit here, but I will answer none of your test questions," Aref said.
"I am a patient person and I can tolerate a lot," added Rezaie. "With these repetitive, discontinuous, short, one-to-three-minute answers, the people are being harmed and the eight people up here are being insulted."