Two well-known conservative ex-military figures, who are both potential candidates for the presidential election in June, have spoken extensively about current conditions in Iran but have not presented any clear policy recommendations, except demanding competent leadership.

One of them, Ezzatollah Zarghami is Iranian Supreme Leader's representative to the High Council of Cyberspace, and the other, Ali Shamkhani is the Secretary of the Supreme Council of National Security.

In recent weeks, senior conservatives have been highlighting competence of officials as an important factor in solving the mountain of problems the Islamic Republic faces. None would admit that it is the regime’s foreign policy and resistance to change that have led to enormous economic challenges.

Zarghami, a confidant of Ali Khamenei, who was the head of Iran's state television from 2004 to 2014, says he is an independent politician with no link to any political party and is a critic of some of the Iranian regime's policies. To present himself as an independent Zarghami in an interview with ISNA on Monday, minimized the conservative-reformist dichotomy in Iranian politics, saying that neither camp has been able to solve fundamental problems.

The long-time head of the state television repeated widespread concerns about a possible low turnout in the presidential election after the record decline in participation in Iran's last parliamentary elections in February 2020.

Himself a representative of Khamenei, Zarghami criticized those who introduce themselves as the leader's advisers, but who only quote Khamenei on statements that favor their current interests and ambitions. He did not name anyone, but General Hossein Dehghan is so far the only Khamenei adviser who has announced his candidacy for president.

Like most other candidates, Zarghami did not talk about his plans and policies except saying that he would "upend incompetent structures," adding that this was “the secret of success” for former IRGC Qods Force Commander Qasem Soleimani who was killed in January 2020. Zarghami maintained that incompetency is largely a result of poor structures. But as an establishment political operator he did not say who is responsible for creating the structures that lead to incompetence.

On the other hand, Shamkhani in his interview with ISNA blamed US officials for the political impasse the Iranian government is facing. He said: "US officials have still not made their final decision about fulfilling their commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal."

Shamkhani acknowledged that Iran's economic situation is not what Iranians deserve, but said that this situation can be changed, although he did not say how. He recommended that only those individuals should nominate themselves who can boost the country's development.

Unlike Zarghami who has never been a candidate in any election, Shamkhani was a contestant in the Presidential election in 2001 and experienced a major defeat by reformist President Mohammad Khatami's landslide victory.

Shamkhani, who has also not presented his policies on tackling Iran’s serious economic problems, said that rather than looking for a candidate who could win a large number of votes, Iran should look for a president competent enough to solve the country's problems.

"If political groups and parties consider competency as their main criterion for nominating candidates, their choices will be narrowed down to a few men," Shamkhani said without naming the prospective candidates he had in mind. However, he added that Iranians' main preoccupation is their livelihood and this makes competency in running the country's economy a major factor.

On the controversial issue of military personnel running for president, Shamkhani said: "A successful manager in the military sector cannot guarantee his success as president." Nonetheless, he said "scaring the people of military men and saying that they would bring about limitations to civil liberties would be unfair."

Addressing the concerns about military candidates leading the country toward a military dictatorship, Shamkhani said "this cannot happen because the President is not Iran's highest ranking official."