President Hassan Rouhani welcomed the results of February 26 elections for Parliament and the Assembly of Experts. “The time for cooperation has started,” he said at a conference. In a letter, during a cabinet meeting and in a speech, he also highlighted the high turnout and briefly commented on the pre-election vetting by the Guardian Council.
Kudos to the history-making nation of Iran. Let's open a new chapter based on domestic talents &global opportunities pic.twitter.com/P24HRkv14t
— Hassan Rouhani (@HassanRouhani) February 29, 2016
Rouhani was elected to the Assembly of Experts, coming in third place after former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and interim Friday prayers leader Mohammad Aqa Emami Kashani. The 88-member clerical body will eventually select the successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The following are excerpts from Rouhani’s remarks and letter.
Rouhani made references to the recent election and at the 3rd Iran Automotive Industry International Conference.
“A country which does not enjoy election and its people cannot determine its future through such an election is doomed to be a dead and unhappy state and nation,”
“Government feels obliged to respect and protect the wise and prudent nation's votes and committed to cooperate with the consultative assembly, as well,”
"As it is only people who set the goals and the very ways to rule the country toward development, therefore they may have different viewpoints in domestic and foreign policy, as well,”
“…the nation has also specified in the election the way to progress and development and spell out which taste and approach(s) it favours and which of them is close to its own and preferred one from among all the existing different approaches."
“Although government and nation respect all different tastes and views from all factions, after the election we should all bear in mind that the socio-political campaign is over and from now on, the time for cooperation has started.”
—March 1, 2016, via the President’s official website
President Rouhani congratulated Interior Minister Dr. Rahmani Fadhli on holding a successful election.
“You did a great job with your own valuable efforts along with the efforts of the governors and governor generals across the country and also along with those of the Executive Committees of the homeland electoral body done during the past months with the comprehensive plan.”
“Despite some limitations in the qualification process of the candidates, the noble Iranian people came up epically and showed the world their massive turned out in the elections with full trust and hope to the ballot boxes.”
“We should study the records of holding such a successful elections and review their strengths and weakness in order to improve the related programs for future elections, because experiences of the two elections can be a suitable capital and resource for the modification and completion of the national rules and regulations for elections.”
—March 2, 2016, via the President’s official website
During a cabinet session, the President made remarks about the election, calling it a “golden page” in the history of religious democracy.
“This election was the first election held during this government’s term of office and we were determined to hold it with utmost glory and honor, respecting the laws and in peace,”
“The government is responsible to try hard to serve this decent and patient nation.”
—Feb. 29, 2016, via the President’s official website