World leaders condole Iran’s tragedy
Leaders across the world have expressed their condolences after President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian died in a tragic helicopter crash on Sunday.
Many friendly countries also declared days of mourning to pay tribute to the Iranian president and his entourage onboard the aircraft.
The UN Security Council observed a minute of silence on Monday for late Iranian president.
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev who jointly inaugurated a dam project with Raisi hours before the arial mishap, said on Monday that he was “deeply shocked by the heavy loss that befell the brotherly and friendly Islamic Republic of Iran and its people.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Raisi as an “outstanding politician.”
“Raisi was an outstanding politician whose entire life was dedicated to serving his homeland,” Putin said. “As a true friend of Russia, he made an invaluable personal contribution to the development of good-neighborly relations between our countries.”
Chinese President Xi Jinping called Raisi’s death “tragic” and said “the Chinese people have lost a good friend,” a spokesman for China’s foreign ministry said.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called Raisi a “valuable colleague and brother.”
“As a colleague who personally witnessed his efforts for the peace of the Iranian people and our region during his time in power, I remember Mr. Raisi with respect and gratitude,” Erdogan said on social media.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Turkey’s relevant institutions, including the defense ministry and the disaster management authority, tried “their best but unfortunately, we weren’t able to hear good news”.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad expressed solidarity with Iran, and said Syria worked with Raisi “to ensure that strategic relations between Syria and Iran flourish always.”
Syrian government also announced three days of national mourning for the Iranian president and foreign minister.
Japan’s government spokesperson, Yoshimasa Hayashi said that Japan expresses its deepest condolences to the government and people of Iran over the death of President Raisi and the foreign minister.
Arab countries
Iran’s Persian Gulf neighbors also mourned the deaths of Iranian officials.
Saudi Arabia, which mended ties with Tehran last year after a long-time rift, offered “condolences to his excellency, the acting head of the executive authority, Mohammad Mokhber, on the death of his excellency Ebrahim Raisi, president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and his companions,” said a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency.
Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa “expressed his sincere condolences and deep sympathy to Iran’s Leader and the brotherly people of the Iranian Republic over this painful incident”, according to a statement carried by the official Bahrain News Agency.
Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said and Kuwait’s emir Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad Al-Sabah separately sent cables of condolences to Iran’s Leader.
In a short statement on X, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan said he extends his deepest condolences to the Iranian government and the people of Iran over the passing of Iranian President and his foreign minister.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani expressed “great sadness and great sorrow.”
Nechirvan Barzani, president of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region said, “The passing of President Raisi is an immense tragedy and a profound loss for the Islamic Republic of Iran, its people, and its friends.”
“Nevertheless, we have faith that the noble people of Iran and the Islamic Republic will overcome this immense loss. May God Almighty provide assistance and protection to all, and may the memory of the departed be blessed.”
Jordan’s King Abdullah also posted a message on x.
“My deepest condolences to the brothers, leadership, government and people of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the death of Brother President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Brother Hossein Amir Abdullahian and those accompanying them, may God have mercy on them all,” Jordan’s King said.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sissi expressed Egypt’s solidarity with “the leadership and people of Iran in this great loss.”
India and Pakistan
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared a day of mourning in Pakistan.
“May the martyred souls rest in heavenly peace. The great Iranian nation will overcome this tragedy with customary courage,” Sharif wrote on X.
“Pakistan will observe a day of mourning and the flag will fly at half-mast as a mark of respect for President Raisi and his companions and in solidarity with Brotherly Iran,” Shehbaz said.
India also announced a one-day state mourning on Tuesday.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was shocked by the development and that “India stands with Iran in this time of sorrow.”
“His contribution to strengthening the India-Iran bilateral relationship will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to his family and the people of Iran. India stands with Iran in this time of sorrow,” Modi wrote on X.
Messages from Europe
European Council President Charles Michel said the European Union “expresses its sincere condolences.”
Josep Borrell, the bloc’s foreign policy chief, also offered his condolences.
“The EU expresses its sympathies to the families of all the victims and to the Iranian citizens affected,” he said in a statement.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, a close ally of Iran, said: “I am shocked by the death of the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran and his accompanying staff as a result of the helicopter crash.”
Resistance movements
Region’s resistance movements also expressed their condolences for the death of Iranian president.
Lebanon’s Hezbollah group praised Raisi as “a strong supporter, and a staunch defender of our causes... and a protector of the resistance movements”.
The Hamas resistance group praised Raisi and Amir-Abollahian for supporting Palestine against Israel and expressed confidence that Iran’s “deep-rooted institutions” will overcome “the repercussions of this great loss”.
“Asking God Almighty for mercy and forgiveness for [those killed] and for their families with patience and solace. We belong to Allah and to Him we shall return,” Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani wrote on X.
Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, head of the Houthi’s Supreme Revolutionary Committee, expressed his “deepest condolences” to the Iranian people and the families of the officials who died in the crash.
Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces, or Hashed al-Shaabi, also expressed their sympathies, adding that Raisi had “always declared that Iraq and Iran are one people that cannot be separated”.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said he was “deeply saddened” by Raisi’s death, calling him “an excellent human being, defender of the sovereignty of his people and unconditional friend of our country.”
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Raisi “exemplified a deep commitment to the welfare of his people and the dignity of his nation, which represents a proud and rich civilization rooted in the principles of Islam.”
“In these difficult times, we stand alongside the people of Iran and pray for forgiveness for all the victims of this incident and for patience for their families,” Afghanistan’s Acting Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund said.
International bodies
The NATO military alliance also on Monday expressed “condolences” to Iran over the death of Raisi.
“Our condolences to the people of Iran for the death of President Raisi, Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian, and others who perished in the helicopter crash,” said NATO spokesperson Farah Daklallah on X.
OPEC also conveyed its condolences on the tragic passing of Iranian President Raisi.
“In these difficult times, on behalf of myself and all the staff at the OPEC Secretariat, I extend my condolences and sympathy to the esteemed leadership and people of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the families of HE President Raisi and other officials,” OPEC Secretary General He Haitham Al Ghais said.