Addressing a crowd of people in the central city of Arak on Sunday, President Rouhani deplored lack of morality in the presidential campaigns in the US, a large and industrial country that claims to have enjoyed democracy for more than 200 years.
The lack of ethical standards in the US was obvious in the presidential debates, he said, adding, “We have seen the way the (US presidential) candidates speak, accuse and mock (one another); and this is the American democracy and election.”
The Iranian president also said that during the UN General Assembly in September, he was asked by a foreign leader about his preferable choice between Clinton and Trump, and his reply was: “Should I prefer the bad to worse or worse to bad?”
His comments came after Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei lashed out at the US presidential candidates for their comments during the debates.
“The (ongoing) election campaigns in America and issues raised by the two candidates constitute a clear and evident example of the consequences of lack of spirituality and faith among those in power,” the Leader said on October 20.
“During the coming weeks, one of these two candidates of America’s (presidential) election, whose remarks and condition you observe, will become the president of a country which has power and wealth and the biggest amount of nuclear weapons as well as the biggest media in the world,” Imam Khamenei said.
The US presidential election will be held on November 8.