Iran declares national mourning for President Raisi
The crash occurred in a mountainous area near the Azerbaijan border on Sunday, where Raisi had been meeting President Ilham Aliyev and opening the Qiz Qalasi and Khodaafarin dams.
KATHMANDU: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has declared five days of mourning following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi, who was killed in a helicopter crash in north-western Iran, along with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.
The crash occurred in a mountainous area near the Azerbaijan border on Sunday, where Raisi had been meeting President Ilham Aliyev and opening the Qiz Qalasi and Khodaafarin dams.
State media confirmed the helicopter made a hard landing in foggy conditions. The Iranian Red Crescent reported that the bodies of the deceased were recovered and transferred to Tabriz, where Raisi’s funeral will be held on Tuesday.
Vice-President Mohammad Mokhber has been appointed to assume interim duties, and Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani will act as foreign minister. Elections to choose a new president are scheduled for 28 June.
Raisi, 63, was a hard-line cleric whose election in 2021 consolidated conservative control over Iran. Ayatollah Khamenei expressed his condolences to the Iranian people. The government stated it would continue to operate without disruption.
Several countries expressed condolences. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared a national day of mourning, while India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his sadness and shock. Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered support and also declared a national day of mourning. Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and China’s President Xi Jinping praised Raisi’s contributions to Iran’s security and stability. The EU and European Council President Charles Michel also extended their condolences.
Hamas and Hezbollah praised Raisi’s support, though the White House condemned his role in supporting regional terrorist networks.
