Rouhani: Iraq’s Elections Sign of Institutionalized Democracy
Rouhani: Iraq’s Elections Sign of Institutionalized Democracy
5-18-14
TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in a meeting with Iraqi Judiciary Chief Medhat Al-Mahmoud extended Tehran’s full support for the new government in the country, and said the recent parliamentary elections indicated institutionalized democracy in Iraq.
“These elections showed that democracy has been institutionalized in Iraq,” President Rouhani said during the meeting.
He underlined that the successful elections in Iraq and people’s high turnout at the polls gladdened the Iranian nation and officials.
“We are happy that under such conditions that the terrorists wanted to show Iraq’s electoral atmosphere as unstable, the Iraqi people and government took a brave step forward and gave a resolute response to cynics and enemies of their interests by showing that they will not be influenced by their threats,” President Rouhani said.
The Iraqi judiciary chief, for his part, thanked President Rouhani for supporting Iraq’s parliamentary elections, and said, “Iran’s positive and civilized role in protecting and promoting peace, stability and security in the region is a source of joy and happiness to the Iraqi nation.”
Al-Mahmoud pointed to the failure of terrorists in stopping or disturbing Iraq’s parliamentary elections, and said, “The recent elections are a clear evidence of the Iraqi people’s inclination towards democracy while maintaining their old religious values and it showed that there is no contradiction between Islam and democracy.”
The Iraqi judiciary chief arrived here in Tehran on Saturday. Earlier today, he met with Judiciary chief Sadeq Amoli Larijani. Al-Mahmoud is also due to visit other high-ranking Iranian officials, including Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, during his four-day visit.
Iran and Iraq have enjoyed growing ties ever since the overthrow of the former Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein, during the 2003 US invasion of the Muslim country.
The recent ballot in Iraq was conducted under an intensive security dragnet, and it passed largely without incident, despite weeks of rising violence as the poll approached.
The election was hailed as a nation-building step more than two years after the last US forces left the country, lauding homegrown leaders as custodians of a new democracy.
The incumbent leader, Nouri al-Maliki, who is standing for a third term as prime minister, remains a front-runner to eventually form a coalition government.
farsnews.com
