UNGA pays tribute to Iran’s late president
The United Nations General Assembly held a plenary meeting on Thursday to pay tribute to the late president of Iran Ebrahim Raisi and his entourage, who died in a helicopter crash on May 19.
Following the observing of a minute of silence, Dennis Francis, president of the General Assembly, offered his deepest condolences to the government and people of Iran.
He said president Raisi “led his country’s contribution to shape the tenets of our multilateral system and international cooperation”, according to the UN official website. Francis also honored the memory of late foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian — “a consummate diplomat who faithfully stood alongside president Raisi in representing Iran on the global stage”.
Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres also extended his condolences to the families, the government and people of Iran. President Raisi led Iran at a challenging time for the country, the region and globally, he said.
“In these difficult times, international and regional cooperation are needed more than ever” in order to build confidence, prevent conflict and resolve disputes, Guterres said. To this end, he assured the Iranian people that the United Nations stands in solidarity with them and in the quest for peace, development and fundamental freedoms.
Additionally, Burundi’s UN Ambassador Zéphyrin Maniratanga, who spoke on behalf of African nations, praised the Iranian president as a “distinguished leader who devoted his life to serving his nation and fostering international cooperation particularly with African countries.”
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN Munir Akram spoke on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
“We take solace in the historical contributions of the former Iranian President to the vision and mission of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, notably its central cause of the restoration of the inalienable rights of the Palestinians and the protection of the sanctity of holy mosque of Al-Quds Sharif,” he said.
Speaking for the Non-Aligned Movement, the representative of Uganda emphasized that Raisi and Amir-Abdollahian were “instrumental” in strengthening cooperation among members of the bloc.
Raisi, Amir-Abdollahian and six others were killed on May 19, when their helicopter crashed in foggy weather in the mountains in northwest Iran.