President Barzani congratulates Raisi on election
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Saturday congratulated Iran's president-elect Ebrahim Raisi on his victory in the elections, hoping for stronger ties between Erbil and Tehran.
“In his letter addressed to president-elect Raisi, President Nechirvan Barzani offers his congratulations and wishes the new president success. The President expresses hope that the bilateral relations between the Kurdistan Region and Iran, during president-elect Raisi in office, develop further on the basis of mutual interests and neighborly relations,” read a statement from Barzani's office.
“The president also hopes that Erbil and Baghdad’s cooperation with Tehran is further strengthened to secure peace and stability for both sides and for the greater region,” it added.
Raisi was elected president of Iran on Friday, securing 62 percent of the vote. The hardline judge was the favorite to win since the powerful Guardian Council that vets candidates barred his main rivals from running.
Raisi’s victory has already come under attack from human rights watchdogs.
“That Ebrahim Raisi has risen to the presidency instead of being investigated for the crimes against humanity of murder, enforced disappearance and torture, is a grim reminder that impunity reigns supreme in Iran,” said Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnès Callamard on Saturday.
Human Rights Watch also condemned the result.
“In his letter addressed to president-elect Raisi, President Nechirvan Barzani offers his congratulations and wishes the new president success. The President expresses hope that the bilateral relations between the Kurdistan Region and Iran, during president-elect Raisi in office, develop further on the basis of mutual interests and neighborly relations,” read a statement from Barzani's office.
“The president also hopes that Erbil and Baghdad’s cooperation with Tehran is further strengthened to secure peace and stability for both sides and for the greater region,” it added.
Raisi was elected president of Iran on Friday, securing 62 percent of the vote. The hardline judge was the favorite to win since the powerful Guardian Council that vets candidates barred his main rivals from running.
Raisi’s victory has already come under attack from human rights watchdogs.
“That Ebrahim Raisi has risen to the presidency instead of being investigated for the crimes against humanity of murder, enforced disappearance and torture, is a grim reminder that impunity reigns supreme in Iran,” said Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnès Callamard on Saturday.
Human Rights Watch also condemned the result.