The Embassy of the United States congratulates the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) on the release of the results of the April 30 Parliamentary elections.

We commend IHEC, the Iraqi security forces, the thousands of candidates, and the millions of Iraqis who exercised their constitutional right to vote despite the threat of violence from terrorists who would deny the people a voice in their future.Today's announcement is a testament to the courage and resilience of the Iraqi people, and another milestone in the democratic development of Iraq.

As the process moves towards government formation, we encourage all political entities to conduct talks in a spirit of cooperation and respect for the will of the voters.