Iran congratulates Egypt on Morsi victory in presidential election

IRAN: The Iranian Foreign Ministry has congratulated the Egyptian nation on the election of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohamed Morsi as the new president.

In a statement issued Sunday, the foreign ministry hailed the history-making turnout of the Egyptian nation in the “decisive” presidential election, which marked “a majestic display of democracy.”

The Egyptians “once again showcased their firm resolve to realize the noble justice-seeking ideals of the great Egyptian revolution,” it added. The statement further expressed certainty that the incoming Egyptian president would “play an effective role in the all-out growth and excellence of the country and the initiation of a transformative era” in Egypt’s history.

The statement came just hours after the Supreme Presidential Electoral Commission (SPEC) declared Morsi as the winner of the county’s presidential runoff.

Morsi has earned nearly 52 percent of the vote, with over 13 million ballots, head of the SPEC Farouq Sultan said Sunday evening after days of delay in the announcement. This is while, former Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq won over 12 million votes. The voter turnout was 51.85 percent. Tens of thousands of Egyptians have gathered in Cairo and across the country to celebrate the victory of Morsi, chanting slogans such as “God is greatest” and “down with the military rule.”

PRESS TV