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All six approved candidates in Iran's presidential election onstage in Tehran on May 5 for the second of the three live debates. The election is set for May 19.
All six approved candidates in Iran's presidential election onstage in Tehran on May 5 for the second of the three live debates. The election is set for May 19.

Live Blog: Iran's Final Presidential Debate

* The six candidates approved for Iran's strictly vetted presidential ballot are appearing for the last of three live televised debates before the May 19 election. The topic is economics.

* Iranian President Hassan Rohani is seeking a second four-year term. His main challenges from the conservative side are expected to come from cleric Ebrahim Raisi and Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf. (Read profiles of the candidates.)

* The official campaign period ends on May 17, two days before voting in the first round of a possible two-round election. If no candidate gets more than half of the vote, the second round would be held on May 26.

* Official media put the number of eligible voters at around 55 million.

* In the first debate, the candidates clashed over Rohani's record on job creation. In the second debate, Rohani's conservative rivals accused him of having failed to "cash the check" from the 2015 deal curbing Tehran's nuclear program in exchange for international sanctions relief.

*NOTE: Times are stated according to local time in Tehran (GMT +4 1/2)

15:00 5.5.2017

Jahangiri says artists should have more freedom. He criticizes the cancelling of concerts.

14:58 5.5.2017

We're back!

14:55 5.5.2017

Candidates are taking a short break. The debate will resume shortly.

14:51 5.5.2017

Following Rohani's criticism of the IRGC and its missile tests with anti-Israeli slogans, twitter users are posting a picture of an Iranian missile that was marked with the slogan: "Israel must be wiped out." The picture was originally posted in 2016 by the hard-line Fars news agency, affiliated with the IRGC, amid claims that it had been photoshopped.

14:43 5.5.2017

This user pokes fun at censorship in Iran:

"I use an anti-filtering tool to access Twitter in order to comment on the May 19 vote, and also to read about the candidates' views on freedom of expression," Elham writes on Twitter, which is filtered in Iran.

14:38 5.5.2017

Rohani says Iranians face two choices: a government of slogans and promises or a government that do things, an authoritarian government or a democratic one.

14:31 5.5.2017

This user asks on Twitter whether the 1980's mass executions of political prisoners are part of Raisi's "security package." Raisi played a role in the executions of hundreds of opponents of the Iranian establishment.

14:25 5.5.2017

Raisi says in his travels across Iran people have said they're unhappy that the government hasn't kept its promises.

14:23 5.5.2017

Raisi accuses Rohani's government of not keeping its promises. He says the government should solve the country's problems.

14:19 5.5.2017

Rohani says Iranians enjoy more freedom than before. He says the choice is between a government that will rely on people, or one that wants to solve issues through interference.

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