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MP stresses Rouhani’s re-election will ensure Iran’s predictability on global arena

According to Slutsky, "it was during Rouhani’s first term as President that Iran served as one of the leading mediators in the Syrian settlementa

MOSCOW, May 20. /TASS/. The re-election of the Iranian President, Hassan Rouhani, will ensure a predictable course both in the issues related to international cooperation, and regarding the expansion of bilateral ties between Tehran and Moscow, Chairman of the Russian State Duma (lower house of parliament) Committee for Foreign Affairs Leonid Slutsky said Saturday.

"Hassan Rouhani’s win at the Iranian election is obviously good news. His re-election ensures predictability of Tehran’s actions both on bilateral relations with Russia and on the most sensitive issues of the international agenda, whether it pertains to the settlement of the Iranian nuclear program issue or the situation in Syria," he said.

According to Slutsky, "it was during Rouhani’s first term as President that Iran served as one of the leading mediators in the Syrian settlement." "The Astana format was founded, within which Russia, Iran and Turkey became guarantors of the ceasefire regime, and signed the memorandum on the formation of four de-escalation zones in Syria," he added.

"Iran remain to be an important partner in all those processes, and his re-election will ensure their gradual development," the lawmaker said.

The incumbent President of Iran, Hassan Rouhani, has won Friday's presidential election, Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani-Fazli announced earlier on Saturday. According to the Minister, 23.549 mln voters (57% of those who participated in the vote) cast their ballots in favor of Rouhani. His closest contender, conservative candidate, former Prosecutor General Embrahim Raisi, received 15.786 votes (38.5%). Another 478,000 voters supported former Culture Minister Seyed Mostafa Agha Mirsalim, while former Industry Minister Mostafa Hashemitaba got 215,000 votes. To win in the first round of voting, a candidate is supposed to get more than 50% votes.

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