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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)

12:19 12.5.2017

Jahangiri says candidates are just repeating empty slogans.

12:18 12.5.2017

VP Jahangiri gets the first question. He's asked about smuggling of goods, which he says has decreased under Rohani.

12:07 12.5.2017

Here we go!

12:01 12.5.2017

Meanwhile, the election campaign is in full swing in Iran. Here are a few religious students campaigning for hard-line cleric Ebrahim Raisi near the Jamkaran mosque.

11:52 12.5.2017

A group of Rohani's supporters are getting ready to watch the debate in in the Iranian capital.

11:47 12.5.2017

We're back with the third and final presidential debate that will focus on the economy.

10:40 12.5.2017

The scheduled start time for this third debate is 4:30 p.m. Tehran time (noon GMT) on March 12 -- so in an hour and a half or so. Our live blogging will kick off shortly before then.

17:28 5.5.2017

Entries below this point are from our live-blogging of the second presidential debate on May 5.

17:26 5.5.2017

In Second Iran Presidential Debate, Conservatives Accuse Rohani Of Failing To Cash In On Nuclear Deal

By Golnaz Esfandiari

Iran’s President Hassan Rohani came under criticism from his main conservative rivals during a live televised presidential election debate on May 5 -- a debate focusing on politics and culture.

Rohani's rivals accused him of failing to improve Iran's economy in the aftermath of Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with six world powers, under which Iran significantly limited its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.

Hard-line conservative cleric Ebrahim Raisi said the nuclear deal has failed to translate into improved living standards for the Iranian people.

"This deal was like a check that the government has been unable to cash," Raisi said.

Raisi also accused Rohani’s government of demonstrating weakness during the nuclear deal negotiations with world powers.

"Saying that if we don’t sign the agreement, the other side will take action and attack our nuclear sites [was] a very bad message for the talks," Raisi said.

Despite the criticism, Raisi said that he would remain committed to the nuclear deal if he is elected president.

Tehran’s Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf also said Iranians have not benefited from the nuclear deal.

He also accused Rohani’s government of relying heavily on foreign investment while ignoring national resources.

Qalibaf, who is running for president for the third time, has said he will safeguard the nuclear agreement, if elected.

Rohani, who came to power in 2013, defended his record while accusing conservatives of trying to sabotage the nuclear deal and undermine the country’s nuclear negotiators.

"If the [nuclear deal] is an accepted agreement, then why did you raise billboards in Tehran [that were critical of the deal]. Why did you insult those who were negotiating?” Rohani said.

The Iranian president also criticized the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) for conducting provocative missile tests and inscribing anti-Israeli slogans on the missiles before launching them.

"We saw how they wrote slogans on missiles and showed underground [missile] cities to disrupt the nuclear deal," Rohani said.

Rohani said his conservative rivals were happy about the election of U.S. President Donald Trump because they thought he would tear up the nuclear deal.

Rohani said all the presidential candidates should announce their stances on the nuclear deal and also on how they would interact with the world if they are elected.

His vice president, Eshaq Jahangiri, who is also a presidential candidate, described the deal as one of Iran’s greatest achievements and said that people’s lives have improved as a result.

Jahangiri is thought to be running to stand by Rohani in the face of attacks by his rivals.

He said those who criticized Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif during the nuclear talks with the United States and other world powers are now taking "souvenir photos" with the deal.

Raisi and Qalibaf have vowed to create jobs, if elected.

The other conservative candidate, former Minister of Culture Mostafa Mirsalim, was also critical of Rohani during the debate, while moderate former Vice President Mostafa Hashemitaba defended the government.

During the first presidential election debate on April 28, Qalibaf accused Rohani of mismanagement and of supporting rich Iranians at the expense of the poor.

The third and final debate of the campaign is scheduled for May 12. It will focus on economic issues.

16:59 5.5.2017

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