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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)

11:03 5.5.2017

Iran's vice president for women's affairs Shahindokht Molaverdi has criticized the moderator's questions in the first debate on April 28, saying they were simple and superficial. Molaverdi said the state controlled TV should spent more time to design better question.

11:24 5.5.2017

All of the six candidates have arrived for the debate. Here are some of their pictures:

11:29 5.5.2017

And here Iranian President Hassan Rohani arriving for the debate:

11:46 5.5.2017

The hard-line Afsaran.ir says on its Instagram account that some of the campaign posters of hard-line presidential candidate Ebrahimi Raisi have been destroyed in Mashhad.

12:04 5.5.2017

The second debate is set to begin. Candidates are now listening to singing from the Koran.

12:06 5.5.2017

Here we go! The moderator first offered his condolences on the death of some 35 miners following an explosion in a mine in Golestan province.

12:10 5.5.2017

The following is a tweet by a group of Rohani's supporters: "Mission impossible 2," it reads.

12:15 5.5.2017

Tehran's Mayor Qalibaf is up first. He's asked about Iran's academic standing and ways to promote it.

12:18 5.5.2017

Qalibaf says the education ministry is the most important department that plays a role in this sphere.

12:19 5.5.2017

Mirsalim criticized Qalibaf for not mentioning research.

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