Iraqi official: Iran's election under spotlight in region

Speaking to IRNA on Monday, Wathag al-Hashimi said he had been witnessing the enthusiasm of the Iraqi people and officials on Iran’s presidential elections through his personal surveys. He also stressed on the importance of the matter to the whole region.

Iranians are to go to polls on May 19 to elect the country's next president.

The Iraqi people are extremely obsessed with politics, al-Hashimi said noting that since Iran is the neighboring state of Iraq and the two capitals enjoy vast relations, the Iraqis added to their interest in Iran's presidential election.

The Iraqi official also stressed that the recent television debate of the Iranian presidential hopefuls, was followed by Iraqis, especially the country’s politicians.

“Iran’s presidential election has come under the spotlight, not only in Iraq, but also in other parts of the region, particularly in Arab countries of the Persian Gulf, as well as in Turkey, European countries, and the US,” he went on.

“Currently, some Arab countries of the Persian Gulf region are trying to convince some others, including Saudi Arabia, of the necessity of improving ties with Iran,” Al-Hashimi said.

He noted that Turkey also has established a good relationship with Iran on the same basis. He concluded that it was important to the countries that Iran’s next president would bring peaceful and reassuring policies to the region.

Head of Iraq’s Center for Strategic Studies stressed that he believed Iran’s next president would follow the peaceful and détente policies that the country had already been pursuing.

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