Rouhani hails Iran's unique presidential election

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that the recent presidential election confirmed that Iran held one of the most democratic elections in the world. Rouhani said many of the threats were thwarted by the election and Iranian status changed to a new level in proportion to the public opinion in the aftermath of the democratically-held voting. “Following the election, the world looks differently to Iran and the Islamic Republic," he added, addressing the 14th Experts Assembly meeting. Rouhani hoped that the change in the international outlook towards Iran would be a prelude to reach a settlement over the disputes with the western governments. “The glorious presence of people in the election was in fact a new testimony to the political and legal legitimacy of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he added. Any election held in the country puts a seal of approval to political legitimacy of the Islamic Republic, said the president. Rouhani emerged victorious in Iran's June 14 presidential election, which was marked by a high voter turnout. He won 50.7 percent of the votes. The Interior Ministry put voter turnout at 72.7 percent. Rouhani has been a representative of Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei at the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) for nearly two decades. He is also a member of the Expediency Council and the Assembly of Experts, and was the president of the Expediency Council's Center for Strategic Research.