Pezeshkian hails Iraq’s parliamentary vote, calls for deeper bilateral ties​

In a phone call with Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shia' al-Sudani on Friday, Pezeshkian described the “splendid and peaceful” vote as “a valuable achievement and a source of enhanced dignity and greatness for the friendly and brotherly nation of Iraq.”

He congratulated al-Sudani on his coalition’s victory and added, “I hope that in the coming period, relations and cooperation between the two countries will expand and advance in all areas, becoming even warmer and deeper than before.”

In a phone call, Iran's President Pezeshkian congratulates Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al-Sudani on his victory in the Iraqi elections.

Al-Sudani thanked Pezeshkian for the call, saying it reflected the depth of the ties between the two nations and Iran’s goodwill toward the Iraqi people.

He noted that this was the sixth parliamentary election since Iraq’s political system changed in 2003 and that it was conducted in a “transparent, calm and successful” manner across the country.

The prime minister said the election’s most important outcome was the highest level of public participation since 2015, which he described as proof of growing trust in Iraq’s political system.

“The people of Iraq once again demonstrated their commitment to the democratic experience and system they have achieved,” he said, hoping that the results would “positively contribute to the continuation of Iraq’s path of construction and progress in recent years.”

Al-Sudani added that Iraq would continue to seek stronger bilateral and regional cooperation with Iran “in all fields” in the coming period.

The phone call came three days after Iraqis voted to elect members of their 329-seat parliament.

Iraq’s electoral commission reported a turnout of 56.11 percent and said al-Sudani’s Reconstruction and Development Alliance secured the most votes.

Iran’s foreign minister also welcomed the vote. Abbas Araghchi congratulated Iraq on holding a peaceful election, calling it a “significant step” in strengthening the country’s democratic process.

In an X post on Friday, he wrote, “Congratulations to the brotherly people and government of Iraq for successful management of peaceful parliamentary elections.”

He added that the vote was “a significant step forward in consolidating the democratic process in Iraq and in safeguarding the sovereignty and security of the nation.”

Iraq is currently recovering from decades of war, occupation, and terrorist attacks.

The United States invaded Iraq in 2003 based on false claims about Baghdad possessing weapons of mass destruction, leaving a trail of destruction, death, and chaos in the Arab country.

The US and its allies re-launched a military campaign in 2014 to supposedly fight off Daesh. The terrorist group had emerged in Iraq and neighboring Syria earlier as Washington was running out of excuses to extend its meddling in the West Asia region or enlarge it in scale.

The US military claimed to be ending its combat mission in Iraq in 2021, but said it would retain some 2,500 troops in the country as alleged advisors, although, Baghdad and its allies had decisively defeated terrorists with the help of Iran in late 2017.