Pakistani PM, Iraqi VP congratulate Rohani on presidential victory

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Iraqi Iraqi Vice President Khazir al-Khazai have congratulated president-elect Hassan Rohani on his victory in Iran’s 11th presidential election.

In his message released on Monday, Sharif extended his most sincere congratulations to Rohani and Iranians.

Sharif said Iran-Pakistan relations are rooted in their shared history, stressing that close, friendly and brotherly ties were based on mutual respect and trust.

The premier said that the two neighboring countries had the same goals for the realization of peace and stability in the region as well as progress and welfare for the two nations. He also called for the expansion of ties with the Islamic Republic.

In his congratulatory message, al-Khazai, too, felicitated Rohani on his victory and expressed hope that Iran-Iraq ties would further develop to help provide the interests of the two countries.

We strongly call for the reinforcement of historical commonalities between Iran and Iraq and we hope that the ties between the two countries will ensure an outstanding rise in all fields, the Iraqi official added.

Rohani won Iran’s June 14 presidential election with an outright victory, gaining 18,613,329 votes, or 50.7 percent of a total of 36,704,156 ballots.

Nearly 50.5 million Iranians, including more than 1.6 million first-time voters, were eligible to participate in the presidential election. The Interior Ministry put the voter turnout at 72.7 percent.