TEHRAN – Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian congratulated Iraq’s glorious and peaceful parliamentary elections in a telephone conversation with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani.
The Iranian president said the vote was a valuable achievement and a source of increasing the credibility and dignity of the Iraqi state.
“During the coming term, I hope that mutual relations and cooperation in all fields will continue to expand and deepen even more than ever before,” Pezeshkian said.
In response, the Iraqi Prime Minister congratulated President Pezeshikian on the Iraqi elections and expressed his gratitude, saying that the president’s call showed Iran’s due concern for the prosperity and success of the Iraqi state.
Al-Sudani said the most important outcome of the parliamentary elections was the highest turnout since 2015, which shows that confidence in Iraq’s political system is growing.
Al-Sudani’s Reconstruction and Development Support List achieved a “huge victory” in the November 11 parliamentary elections.
The Independent High Electoral Commission said on Wednesday that the al-Sudani coalition received 1.3 million votes, about 370,000 more than the next closest candidate. Iraqis voted for a new parliament on Tuesday. The Independent High Electoral Commission announced that a total of 12,003,143 citizens cast their votes out of 21,404,291 eligible voters.
After the first results were announced, al-Sudani said the 56% turnout was “clear evidence of new successes” that reflected the “recovery of trust in the political system”.
Sudani will be elected in 2022. The incumbent is seeking re-election for a second term and is expected to win a significant number of seats.
The current parliament, dominated by Shiite parties and blocs, will begin its term on January 9, 2022, and end on January 8, 2026.
By law, Iraq must hold parliamentary elections at least 45 days before the end of the parliamentary term.
The next prime minister will be chosen in a coalition vote that could potentially negotiate with allies to become the largest parliamentary bloc.