Shafaq News – Tehran
On Thursday, Ali Akbar Velayati, senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader for international affairs, described Iraq’s recent parliamentary elections as historic and unprecedented.
In a congratulatory message to the Iraqi government and people on what he called a “great success” in holding the elections, Velayati said that “the patient and courageous Iraqi people have proven their ability to determine their destiny and to play an active role in shaping the region’s future.”
He added that Iraq today “stands among the most important and powerful Arab and Islamic countries, with civilizational roots extending over five thousand years.”
Velayati emphasized that relations between Iran and Iraq “are built on deep foundations of history, culture, religion, and civilization,” expressing confidence that “a bright future awaits cooperation between the two brotherly nations.”
Iraq concluded its sixth parliamentary elections since 2003 on Tuesday, with the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) reporting voter turnout above 56%. According to the final tallies, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s Al-Ima'ar Wal Tanmiya (Reconstruction and Development) led in eight of Iraq’s 18 provinces, securing 45 seats.
Within the Coordination Framework, the coalition of ruling Shiite parties allied with Iran, Nouri al-Maliki’s State of Law (E’tilaf Dawlat al-Qanoun) won 30 seats, Sadiqoon under Qais al-Khazali claimed 26, Badr headed by Hadi al-Ameri took 19, and the National State Forces (Quwa al-Dawla al-Wataniyah) led by Ammar al-Hakim earned 18.