TEHRAN - In a recent statement, the ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Pakistan expressed optimism about the growth of relations between Iran and Pakistan under Asif Ali Zardari's presidency. 

Reza Emami Moghadam conveyed his sincere congratulations on Zardari's election as the 14th President of Pakistan, emphasizing the hope for enhanced relations during his term.

Emami Moghadam noted that Asif Ali Zardari will bring back the prosperous and amicable days of the historical ties between Iran and Pakistan. The ambassador anticipated a broadening of relations and interactions in various sectors between the two nations throughout Zardari's tenure. 

Asif Ali Zardari, co-chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party, secured his position as Pakistan's 14th President, marking his second term in office. The 68-year-old Zardari, a joint candidate of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), faced off against Mahmood Khan Achakzai, 75, representing the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), according to Indian Express.

Elected by the electoral college comprising newly elected members of the National Assembly and the four provincial assemblies, Zardari, a businessman-turned-politician and the widower of the late Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, clinched victory with 255 votes, while his rival secured 119 votes, as reported by Pakistani media.

Achakzai, leading the Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), contested from the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), which gained prominence after independent candidates affiliated with Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) joined its ranks.

In a related development, Shahbaz Sharif assumed the position of Pakistan's Prime Minister for the second time last week, adding another layer to the dynamic political landscape in the region.