TEHRAN – Iran has congratulated Bangladesh following the successful conduct of peaceful parliamentary elections in the South Asian nation.
In a statement issued on Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei described the orderly organization of the elections as a reflection of the Bangladeshi people’s determination to shape their own future and an important step toward national development.
Baghaei expressed optimism that friendly relations and bilateral cooperation between Iran and Bangladesh would further expand under the new government to be formed after the vote.
The statement followed Bangladesh’s announcement of the election results, in which the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Tarique Rahman, secured a two-thirds majority in parliament. Jamaat-e-Islami emerged as the main opposition party.
The parliamentary vote, held on Thursday, coincided with a national referendum focused on reforming state institutions. According to the Bangladesh Election Commission, voter turnout reached 59.88 percent. Officials described the elections as among the most peaceful held in the country in decades.
The polls took place approximately 20 months after a popular uprising led to the departure of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India after 15 years in power.
Iran and Bangladesh, both major Muslim countries in Asia, have maintained longstanding cultural and religious ties, and Tehran has reiterated its interest in strengthening cooperation across various sectors.
