As Iran elected moderate Hassan Rouhani as its next President, the United States has announced its readiness to engage the Iranian Government directly for a diplomatic solution that fully addresses international concerns over the country’s N-programme.
A White House statement congratulated Iranians on “their courage in making their voices heard”, and expressed the hope that the Iranian Government will “heed the will of the Iranian people and make responsible choices that create a better future for all Iranians”.
Without congratulating Rouhani as such, the statement noted that it has “seen” the Iranian announcement that he has been declared the winner. It said the US respects the vote of the Iranian people in an election that was otherwise marked by “a lack of transparency, censorship of the media, Internet, and text messages, and an intimidating security environment that limited freedom of expression and assembly”.
“However, despite these Government obstacles and limitations, the Iranian people were determined to act to shape their future,” said the statement put out by White House spokesman Jay Carney.
Secretary of State John Kerry issued a statement, saying Washington admires “the courage of the Iranian people who went to the polls and made their voices heard in a rigidly controlled environment that sought to limit freedom of expression and assembly”.
“We remain concerned about the lack of transparency in the electoral process, and the attempts to censor members of the media, the Internet, and text messages. Despite these challenges, however, the Iranian people have clearly expressed their desire for a new and better future,” Kerry said.
Reminding the President-elect of his campaign promises to restore and expand freedoms for all Iranians, Kerry said: “In the months ahead, he has the opportunity to keep his promises to the Iranian people. “We, along with our international partners, remain ready to engage directly with the Iranian Government,” Kerry said.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon congratulated Rouhani on his election and commended the country’s high turnout. A statement issued by Ban’s spokesman said the UN chief “intends to remain engaged with Iranian authorities and with the President-elect on issues relevant to the international community and the welfare of the Iranian people”. Ban, it said, will “continue encouraging Iran to play a constructive role in regional and international affairs”.