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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)

15:15 12.5.2017

Only in Iran:

15:17 12.5.2017

Video of Rohani's attack on Raisi:

15:23 12.5.2017

Qalibaf attacks Rohani and Jahangiri in his closing remarks. He accuses Rohani's "relatives" of corruption while adding that the president doesn't take action against them.

15:28 12.5.2017

Rohani fires back at Qalibaf and Raisi in his closing remarks.

15:35 12.5.2017

Rohani attacks Qalibaf over his reported threats to crackdown on students calling for more rights. He also tells him to look at what his relatives are doing in Tarqabeh.

15:37 12.5.2017

Rohani tells Raisi: 'you're a judge, you can do whatever you want,' while begging him not to politicize the Imam Reza shrine. He says clerics should be asked how much they've suffered as the results of Raisi's action since Raisi is a prosecutor of the special clergy court.

15:40 12.5.2017

Jahangiri urges Iranians to vote on May 19, he urges voters to inform themselves about the records of the candidates.

15:42 12.5.2017

Raisi says his promises are based on facts and expert reviews.

15:46 12.5.2017

Raisi says he has enough foreign policy knowledge. He told Rohani that he didn't give the Kurds to use their language, he added that the right came from "God and the Iranian constitution."

15:46 12.5.2017

The third and final presidential debate is over. Thanks for following.

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