Shafaq News – Tehran

Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Monday reiterated its opposition to any foreign interference in Iraq’s electoral process, describing the vote as a critical stage in determining the country’s future.

Iraq on Sunday conducted the special vote, which drew 1,340,518 participants, including members of the security forces and internally displaced persons (IDPs), according to official data. The results will be incorporated into the final count after the general vote on November 11, when about 20 million citizens are expected to cast their ballots.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said during his weekly press briefing that Iraq’s elections are “a purely internal matter,” emphasizing that any interference would undermine the will of the Iraqi people.

“Whatever the results may be, the friendly relations between Iran and Iraq will continue,” he noted, “Iraq is a large and capable country that knows well how to manage its relations with all parties.

Read more: Iraq between two fires: Tehran and Washington eye Baghdad’s post-election phase

Baqaei referred specifically to US policies in the region, calling what he described as American interventions “undoubtedly harmful,” adding, “Past experiences have shown that whenever the United States interfered in the affairs of regional countries, the result was damage to peace and stability.”

The spokesperson expressed hope that upcoming political developments in Iraq would produce outcomes beneficial to its citizens and contribute to wider regional stability.