Iran's electoral watchdog approves result

TEHRAN - Iran's state TV is reporting the country's election overseer, the Guardian Council, has approved Friday's presidential election result, affirming a first-round victory by a relative moderate.

The report Wednesday said Hasan Rowhani won the election by taking nearly 51 percent of votes. Since he won more than half, that eliminated the need for a runoff.

Rowhani takes office in August, succeeding President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Rowhani has vowed to work for better ties with the world and aims to reduce the West's sanctions against Iran over its disputed nuclear program. However, he has offered not offered to rein in the program, as the West demands.

The West suspects Iran might move toward building nuclear weapons. Iran denies the charge.