TEHRAN, JULY 6 :  Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated Masoud Pezeshkian on his election as the Iranian president, according to a letter published by the Kremlin on Saturday.

“Dear Mr Pezeshkian, I sincerely congratulate you on the occasion of your election as the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Russian-Iranian relations are of friendly and good-neighborly nature. Moscow and Tehran effectively coordinate efforts to address issues on the international agenda,” the letter read.

Putin wished Pezeshkian success as Iran’s president and expressed hope for cooperation between the two countries, according to the letter.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has also congratulated Pezeshkian on his election and has invited him to the Belarusian capital of Minsk.

“The voting results confirm your high political authority and indicate public support for the policy pursued by the country’s leadership and aimed at protecting Iran’s national interests, creating perspectives for its citizens and cooperation with other countries in the region,” Lukashenko was quoted as saying by the Belarusian state-run news agency Belta.

The Belarusian leader added that the dialogue between Minsk and Tehran had been expanding in all directions and voiced confidence that the states would implement all existing agreements in the near future.

Pezekshkian’s victory in the two-round snap election was announced earlier in the day by Iranian election headquarters spokesman Mohsen Eslami. The election was called after President Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash in Iran’s mountainous north in May. Vice President Mohammad Mokhber was appointed acting president, pending the vote.(UNI)