Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his Foreign Minister Hussein Amir-Abdollahian were killed when their helicopter crashed. None of the nine occupants survived. The state news agency Irna and state television reported this on Monday. Iran’s religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ordered five days of national mourning.
In the name of EU expressed himself Council leader Charles Michel: “The EU expresses its sincere condolences on the death of President Raisi and Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian, as well as other members of their delegation and crew in a helicopter accident,” Michel wrote on Monday on his official account on X. “Our thoughts are with the families.” The EU only expanded its previous sanctions against Iran last week. The background is in particular the major Iranian attack on Israel with drones and missiles in mid-April, which followed a suspected Israeli attack on the Iranian embassy in the Syrian capital Damascus. The EU has also imposed sanctions on the country for serious human rights violations.
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her condolences on Raisi’s death. “I would like to express my solidarity and Italy’s solidarity with the Iranian government and the Iranian people,” she said on Monday on the private broadcaster Canale 5. In view of the incident, she is in constant contact with European partners and the allies of the G-7 -Group. Italy currently holds the presidency of the Group of Seven major industrial nations.
From the French Foreign Ministry A statement said: “France expresses its condolences to the Islamic Republic of Iran following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hussein Amir-Abdollahian and their companions.” The families of the victims are also being considered.
The President of Azerbaijan is dismayed
There was initially no official information about the cause of the accident. Raisi was on his way back from a meeting with the Foreign Minister on Sunday afternoon President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyevwhen their plane disappeared from radar in thick fog. Aliyev was saddened by the death of his Iranian colleague: “With President Ebrahim Raisi, the Iranian people have lost an outstanding statesman who served his country with dedication and commitment throughout his life. His memory will always live on in our hearts,” he said it said in a condolence telegram from Aliyev to the Iranian religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei published in Baku on Monday.
The Azerbaijani president was the last statesman to see Raisi alive. There were photos and a video of the “historic visit” on Aliyev’s website. “On this sad day, I wish the Almighty to grant patience to the kind and brotherly Iranian people. Personally and on behalf of the Azerbaijani people, I express my deep condolences and share with you, the families and relatives of the victims and all your people Sadness,” Aliyev continued.
From the Arab world There are numerous condolences following the death of the Iranian president and his foreign minister. Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani wrote on X about “his sincere condolences to the government and people of the Islamic Republic of Iran.” Egypt mourns President Raisi and the other victims of the accident, the government spokesman said in a statement. The King of Jordan, King Abdullah II, expressed his solidarity with the Iranian people. His “deepest condolences go out to the brothers, leadership, government and people of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the death of brother President Ebrahim Raisi.”
Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, who is allied with Iran, made similar statements. He expressed his condolences for “this painful incident and the resulting great loss,” according to the state news agency Sana. Syria’s government is directly allied with Iran. The government in Baghdad, Iraq, also expressed sympathy. Lebanon’s acting prime minister, Najib Mikati, ordered three days of national mourning, according to the state news agency NNA. In Lebanon, Hezbollah and in Yemen the Houthi militias are part of the so-called “Axis of Resistance” that Iran has set up against Israel.
Hezbollah in Lebanon said Raisi was a great supporter and “a staunch advocate of our causes, especially in Jerusalem and in Palestine.” Similar words came from the Houthis in Yemen. Raisi’s death is “not only a loss for Iran, but for the entire Islamic nation, Palestine and Gaza,” a spokesman explained on .
Meanwhile, Iran’s neighboring country Pakistan declared a day of mourning. That’s what he wrote Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday on the online platform X. The country would fly the flag at half-mast “as a sign of respect for President Raisi and his companions and in solidarity with brotherly Iran.” Imprisoned ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan also expressed his condolences on “They have been at the forefront of their country’s resolute support for the beleaguered Palestinian people.” It was only in April that the neighboring states deepened their relations with one another during Raisi’s visit to Islamabad. At the beginning of the year, Pakistan and Iran attacked each other militarily.
Also the radical Islamic Palestinian organization Hamas praised Raisi as an important supporter in the fight against Israel. Raisi provided valuable help to the Palestinian people and tirelessly expressed solidarity in the Gaza war against Israel, Hamas said on Monday. He was also among the leaders who made significant political and diplomatic efforts to stop Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people. Iran is considered Israel’s arch enemy and one of the most important supporters of Hamas, which triggered the war in the Gaza Strip with its attack on Israel on October 7th.
Putin wants to keep “remarkable” people Raisi in good memory forever
Kremlin boss Wladimir Putin also praised Raisi as an outstanding politician and a true friend of Russia. “He was rightly respected by his compatriots and enjoyed great respect abroad,” said a letter of condolence from Putin to the Iranian religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei published by the Kremlin on Monday. “As a true friend of Russia, he made an invaluable personal contribution to the development of good-neighborly relations between our countries and made great efforts to bring them to the level of a strategic partnership.”
Relations between Tehran and Moscow are traditionally close. Putin sees Tehran as a key partner in his pursuit of a world order without US dominance. He particularly appreciates Iranian support in its war of aggression against Ukraine. Raisi and Putin were in constant contact with each other. Ukraine has long complained that Iran is providing Russia with drones and other weapons while circumventing sanctions. Putin said he would always have fond memories of the “remarkable” person Raisi.
Putin wrote to Khamenei: “Please convey my sincere condolences and support to the family and friends of the late President and all the others who lost their lives in this terrible catastrophe! I wish them and the entire Iranian people spiritual strength in the face of this such a severe and irreparable loss.”
The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also condoled Iran. He expressed his condolences to the Iranian people and the families of Raisi and the other deceased, it said in a post on the X platform on Monday. The neighboring countries Turkey and Iran maintain good trade relations and, despite several fundamental conflicts of interest, strategic partnerships, for example in Syria.
China’s President Xi Jinping Iran also expressed its condolences. The Chinese head of state and party leader expressed his “deep sadness over the death” of Raisi in a message and expressed his “sincere condolences” to the government and people, a spokesman for the Beijing Foreign Ministry said on Monday. Xi emphasized that since taking office, President Raisi has made “important contributions to maintaining Iran’s security and stability, promoting national development and prosperity, and making positive efforts to consolidate and expand the China-Iran comprehensive strategic partnership.” have. “His unfortunate death is a great loss for the Iranian people and the Chinese people have also lost a good friend,” the spokesman continued. China maintains good political relations with Iran. The two countries have also steadily expanded their cooperation economically. For Beijing, networking with Iran is an important part of the New Silk Road.