Iran praises successful presidential election in Mali

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has hailed the recent presidential election in Mali, which led to the victory of the country’s former premier.

In a Tuesday meeting with outgoing Malian Ambassador to Tehran Amado Mudi, the top Iranian diplomat wished the Malian government and president-elect a very successful tenure.

Zarif also expressed hope that bilateral relations between Tehran and Bamako would expand in political, economic and trade fields.

Former Malian Prime Minister Ibrahim Boubacar Keita won the August 11 presidential election against his rival, Soumaila Cisse.

The election, the first since 2007, came following a coup that was staged last year. Chaos broke out in the West African country after President Amadou Toumani Toure was toppled in a military coup on March 22, 2012.

The coup leaders said the move was in response to the government’s inability to contain the Tuareg rebellion in the north of the country, which had been going on for two months.