High Syria vote turnout marks win for Syrians: Iran official

A senior Iranian official has praised the high voter turnout in Syria’s presidential election as a victory for democracy.
“We firmly support democracy and the choice of Syrian people,” Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said on Wednesday.
He added that foreign delegations invited to observe Syrian presidential vote have expressed surprise over mass participation in the election.
“Parties that have so far sponsored terrorists operating inside Syria should understand the message of the country’s people, and stop the erroneous trend of the past,” Amir-Abdollahian pointed out.
The top Iranian official further hoped for substantial contribution of all Syrian factions in the political future of the crisis-hit Arab country.
On Tuesday, the Syrian people voted in the presidential election across the government-controlled areas of the country in high numbers. The vote count started after the polls closed.
Syria has been gripped by deadly violence since March 2011. Over 160,000 people have reportedly been killed and millions displaced due to the violence fueled by the foreign-backed militants.
According to reports, the Western powers and their regional allies — especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey — are supporting the militants operating inside Syria.