Azerbaijan, Baku, Jun.12/ Trend F.Eminli
Iran annually imports 11 billion dollars worth of agricultural products, but if that amount is allocated to boosting the country's agriculture sector, more jobs would be created and the economy would flourish, presidential candidate Saeed Jalili said on Wednesday, Fars news agency reported.
During his remarks, Jalili stressed the need to establish equality in the society.
He went on to note that 23 people have received 110 trillion rials worth of loans ($8.97 billion based on the official rate of USD and some $3 billion dollars based on the free market's price), which is a sign of inequality.
Jalili also rejected the claims that cash subsidy has resulted in inflation, saying that 6 people have received more money than 70 million people's cash subsidies combined.
Elsewhere Jalili said that Iran is ready to pay the costs for supporting the Palestinian people and their legitimate cause.
The principlist candidate said that there might not be even one Shia in Palestine, but Iran is still ready to support the Palestinians and their struggle for freedom and self-determination.
The secretary of the Supreme National Security Council also said that if he wins the June 14th vote he stick to his campaign promises, which include improving public welfare and following the footsteps of the Leader of Iran's Islamic Revolution.
Iran is preparing to hold the 11th presidential election on June 14. The voters will select the successor of the current President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is not able to participate in the elections for the third term according to the country's constitutional laws.
The president of Iran is elected for a four-year term in a national election and the Guardian Council vets the candidates for qualifications.
There are 6 presidential candidates active in the race: Secretary of Expediency Council Mohsen Rezaei, Supreme National Security Council Secretary Saeed Jalili, former Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Velayati, Tehran Mayor Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf, President of the Strategic Research Center of the Expediency Council Hassan Rohani, and former Telecommunications Minister Mohammad Gharazi.
Over 420 journalists from 39 countries will be covering the presidential elections in the Islamic Republic of Iran, according to country's Public Relations and Information Center of Ministry of Culture.
Such countries as Azerbaijan, Germany, Australia, Russia, Japan, UK, UAE, France, Turkey, Iraq, Ukraine, USA, Syria, China will be covering the elections in Iran.