President-elect showered by worldwide congrats
World leaders and top government officials extended their congratulations to Masoud Pezeshkian on his victory in Iran’s presidential runoff election on Friday.
The 69-year-old parliamentarian and heart surgeon garnered more than 16 million votes while his rival, former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, got over 13 million out of about 30 million votes cast, with the voter turnout standing at 49.8 percent.
Heads of state of neighboring and regional countries, including Russia, Pakistan, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan as well as Persian Gulf Arab states expressed their felicitations to Pezeshkian on his election.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, in his congratulatory message, hoped for the “reinforcement of constructive bilateral cooperation” between Moscow and Tehran.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari hoped that “fraternal” relations between Pakistan and Iran will “grow further stronger” during his presidency. The country’s prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, on his X account, looked forward to working closely with Pezeshkian, and promoting peace and stability in the region.
Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, the speaker of Pakistan’s National Assembly, expressed confidence in the further consolidation of Tehran-Islamabad ties during his tenure.
Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid and the country’s prime minister, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, congratulated the Islamic Republic of Iran and the new Iranian president-elect on his victory. Rashid wrote on X that, “We affirm our keenness to strengthen relations between Iraq and Iran in a way that serves the interests of the two neighboring countries and peoples.”
President of the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq Nechirvan Barzani, and Prime Minister Masoud Barzani, in separate messages, congratulated Iran’s new chief executive.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, in a congratulatory letter to Pezeshkian, welcomed his electoral success and said Azerbaijan placed “great importance” on relations with Iran.
“I invite you to pay a visit to Azerbaijan to exchange views on the prospects for development of our bilateral cooperation. I convey my best wishes to you, and wish success in your future responsible activities for the prosperity of the friendly and brotherly people of Iran,” Aliyev said.
Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon also wished success for Iran’s president-elect and invited him to visit his
country.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan congratulated Pezeshkian and said, “Relations with the brother country of the Islamic Republic of Iran are of special importance for the government and people of the Republic of Armenia.”
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan assured that during Pezeshkian’s tenure, multilateral and long-term cooperation will reach a higher level in all priority fields.
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also congratulated Pezeshkian.
“On the occasion of your victory in the presidential election in the Islamic Republic of Iran, we are pleased to send you our sincere congratulations and best wishes for success, looking forward to continuing to develop relations between our two brother countries and peoples, and continuing coordination and consultation in order to enhance regional and international peace and security”.
Bin Salman, for his part, expressed his “sincere congratulations and best wishes for success and further progress and progress for your country and brotherly people,” highlighting his “keenness to develop and deepen relations that unite our two countries and peoples, and serve our common interests.”
Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani wished Pezeshkian success and the further development and prosperity of joint relations.
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed said he was looking forward to the strengthening of bilateral relations during Pezeshkian’s presidency.
In a post on X, King of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa said that Manama seeks to establish outstanding relations with Iran based on cooperation in a way that benefits both countries.
Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said and Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad Al Sabah sent separate messages of congratulations to Pezeshkian.
Sheikh Meshal wished Pezeshkian “a long healthy life and more prosperity and development for the Islamic Republic.”
In his congratulatory message, Kuwaiti Emir wished Pezeshkian a long and healthy life and “more prosperity and development for the Islamic Republic.”
Strategic relationship
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad affirmed the desire of Damascus to strengthen ties with Tehran.
“We are keen to ensure that our relationship remains at its peak,” Assad said, adding that he wants to work with Pezeshkian “to strengthen the Syrian-Iranian strategic relationship,” and that “resistance will remain the common approach we follow.”
Far Eastern congratulation
In his message to Pezeshkian, President Xi Jinping said, “I attach great importance to the development of China-Iran relations and am willing to work with the President to lead the China-Iran comprehensive strategic partnership towards deeper advancement.”
“Faced with complex regional and international situations, China and Iran have always supported each other, worked together and continued to consolidate strategic mutual trust,” Xi said.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he looked “forward to working closely” with Pezeshkian “to further strengthen our warm and long-standing bilateral relationship for the benefit of our peoples and the region.”
Japan’s Foreign Ministry announced that Tokyo will strengthen dialogue with the new administration in Tehran.
South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement, wished for Iran “a path of prosperity and development under the new government, contributing constructively to regional stability.”
Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim wrote in a Facebook posting, “This outcome reflects the vibrant spirit of Iranian democracy and heralds a promising future for Iran”.
‘Absolute support’
The Venezuelan government congratulated the people of Iran for their commitment to democracy in Friday’s runoff election that resulted in Pezeshkian’s victory.
“Venezuela expresses its conviction that the decision made by the Iranian people will contribute to the prosperity of this nation, as well as its consolidation as an emerging power of the nascent multipolar world,” Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Yván Gil said in a statement on his X account.
Gil expressed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s “absolute support” for Pezeshkian “to continue deepening the fraternal relations between both peoples and in the comprehensive strategic alliance for mutually beneficial cooperation.”
In a congratulatory message, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said that Pezeshkian’s presidency would bring prosperity to the nation.
President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko congratulated the cardiac surgeon and invited him for an official visit to his country.