MNA � President Hassan Rouhani offered congratulations to Turkey on Monday over the successful holding of local and municipality elections.











In a message to his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, Rouhani said, �I would like to express congratulations to Your Excellency and the Turkish government and nation on the successful holding of local elections.�

Rouhani pointed to the high turnout in the elections, saying that this �clearly indicates people�s will to participate in determining their future, and democracy.�

At the end of his message, the Iranian president wished prosperity and felicity for the Turkish nation and government.

Earlier in the day, Iran�s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Ghasemi had congratulated neighboring Turkey over the successful holding of the elections.

Noting that holding peaceful elections is another sign of democracy in Turkey, Ghasemi�stressed that "democracy in the regional countries is the guarantee for the region's independence, security and stability.�

Polling in Turkey�s municipal elections began on Sunday morning, with 57 million eligible to vote in the country's 81 provinces and closed across the country on Sunday morning.

Some 1,389 nominees participated in the elections to identify the mayors of 30 metropolises, 51 provinces, 922 towns and 386 districts.