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Iran Respects Turkey's Referendum Result

Iran Respects Turkey's Referendum Result
Iran Respects Turkey's Referendum Result

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi said Tehran deems Turkey's referendum on constitutional changes an internal affair and it would respect the result of votes in the neighboring nation.

Qasemi was speaking in a regular press briefing on Monday, ISNA reported.

Asked about the possible effects of the referendum, Qasemi said it is early to comment.

"We hope it will help promote peace and security in the region, and add to cohesion in Turkey and enhance stability there."

Turkey held the referendum on a package of constitutional changes on Sunday.

The reforms will change Turkey's parliamentary system into a presidential one, the office of the prime minister will be abolished, the president will appoint the Cabinet and an unspecified number of vice presidents and could select and remove senior civil servants without parliamentary approval.

The changes would also potentially keep President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in power until 2029. He has already been there since 2003. Erdogan said after the voting that 51.5% of the voters, 25 million people, had supported the reforms. The final results of the referendum will be announced in about 10 days after objections have been considered.

The Turkish opposition challenged the results on Sunday, saying it wants some 60% of the ballots recounted.

 

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