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Iranian women show their ink-stained fingers after casting their votes during the presidential election in Tehran on May 19.
Iranian women show their ink-stained fingers after casting their votes during the presidential election in Tehran on May 19.

Live Blog: Iran's Presidential Election

-- Iranian officials have declared President Hassan Rohani winner of the May 19 vote with around 57 percent of ballots, easily avoiding a runoff against conservative former prosecutor Ebrahim Raisi, who was said to have received about 38.5 percent of votes cast.

-- In a victory speech, Rohani said the Iranian people were the "real victors" of the election and that Iran had chosen "engagement with the world" in voting for him, rejecting extremism. But as Rohani knows very well, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei holds ultimate political, military, and religious power in Iran, and can easily derail a campaign or thwart the plans of a president.

-- Six men were approved to run by the Guardians Council from more than 1,600 applicants, but it quickly boiled down to a two-man race between Raisi and Rohani, an establishment veteran who oversaw a breakthrough nuclear deal with world powers to ease sanctions and pushed for engagement with the West and greater openness for Iranians.

-- Raisi has long been talked about as a possible successor to Khamenei, and it's unclear what effect a landslide loss might have on his political ambitions.

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

19:05 19.5.2017

The head of the Guardian Council Ayatollah Jannati voted. The powerful unelected body pre-selects election candidates. It has a record of disqualifying liberals, reformists and anyone deemed a threat to the Iranian establishment.

19:14 19.5.2017

The New York-based Center for Human Rights In Iran reports that prominent political prisoner Narges Mohammadi has cast her ballot in Tehran's Evin prison. Mohammadi's husband had said that she will vote for Hassan Rohani.

19:18 19.5.2017

Statement by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce on Iran's election:

19:21 19.5.2017

Voting in the election has been extended by another two hours (until 10 pm local time) because many voters are still waiting to cast their ballots, state TV said.

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