“Deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic demise of Dr. Seyed Ebrahim Raisi, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. His contribution to strengthening India-Iran bilateral relationships will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to his family and the people of Iran. India stands with Iran in this time of sorrow,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
State media reported that Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian have died in a helicopter crash in the northwestern province of East Azarbaijan. The helicopter, also carrying East Azerbaijan Governor Malek Rahmati and Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Ale-Hashem, representative of the Iranian supreme leader to East Azerbaijan, went down in the area.
After a night-long search, the head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS), Pir-Hossein Kolivand, confirmed early Monday that no survivors were found at the crash site. “No trace of survivors has been seen after the discovery of the site of the crashed helicopter,” Kolivand said in an interview with the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
The deaths of Raisi and Amir-Abdollahian mark a significant loss for Iran, and the tragic event has drawn condolences and sympathies from leaders and nations worldwide.