Tehran, Dec 31 -- Iran\'s former president and expediency council chairman Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani on Sunday thanked public for broad presence in the December 15th elections.

Delivering his Eid Qurban (Feast of Sacrifice) prayers sermon in Tehran University, Ayatollah Rafsanjani said the elections enjoyed necessary standards and were healthy.

He said those elected through the elections are the most competent and experienced individuals.

The fourth Expert Assembly and the third Islamic City/Village Council elections as well as the second Majlis by-elections were held simultaneously all over Iran on Friday, December 15, 2006.

Rafsanjani won 1,564,197 of votes to stand first, followed by Ayatollah Mohammad Emami Kashani and Ali Akbar Feyzi (Meshkini) on the list of the Experts Assembly elections winners.