In a message posted on his X account on Monday evening, partly written in Armenian, Araqchi extended his congratulations to Pashinyan on the electoral outcome and welcomed favorable conditions for expanding constructive cooperation between Tehran and Yerevan.
“Extend sincere congratulations to His Excellency PM Nikol Pashinyan for his party's electoral victory. Our neighbors are our priority,” Araqchi said.
“I congratulate you on the successful holding of Armenia’s parliamentary elections and on the victory of Prime Minister Mr. Nikol Pashinyan and the party he leads,” he added.
“We are pleased that favorable opportunities have been created to continue constructive cooperation aimed at strengthening the positive and dynamic course that has taken shape in Iran-Armenia relations,” the foreign minister stated.
Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party overwhelmingly defeated the other runners in the election by winning 49.81 percent of the vote, the country’s Central Election Commission (CEC) said on Monday. The main opposition Strong Armenia came a distant second with 23.29 percent.
Turnout in the landlocked country of three million was more than 58 percent of eligible voters, the CEC said.
Pashinyan claimed a “historic victory that will ensure Armenia’s eternity and development”. He pledged to “continue the course of rapprochement with the West” while also developing Armenia’s relations with Russia.