TEHRAN— In a message on Friday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi felicitated the election of new president in Iraq.

In his message congratulating Abdul Latif Rashid's election as the President of Iraq, Raisi expressed hope that the new Iraqi government would take steps towards the growth and prosperity of Iraq and that the relations between Tehran and Baghdad would deepen even more.

The Iranian president emphasized, “Iran has always supported the Iraqi political process based on the people's vote and has been working to expand brotherly relations with Iraq.”

Raisi also wished success to the government and people of Iraq.

Iraqi legislators elected Kurdish politician Abdul Latif Rashid as the country’s new president, paving the way for the formation of a new government and ending a year of deadlock.

Rashid replaced fellow Iraqi Kurd Barham Saleh as the president. After a two-round vote in parliament on Thursday, Rashid won more than 160 votes Saleh 99.

Shia politician Mohammed al-Sudani was quickly named prime minister-designate, assuming the task of reconciling feuding Shia factions and forming a government after a year of deadlock. 

Al-Sudani replaces caretaker Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi.