Iran’s supreme leader AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMWNEI on Monday announced five days of mourning for President EBRAHIM RAISI who died in a helicopter crash.
KHAMENEI in an official statement a day after the death of RAISI and other officials in the crash in East Azerbaijan province, said “I announce five days of public mourning and offer my condolences to the dear people of Iran,” .
Condolences flooded in from Palestinian militant group Hamas, Lebanon’s Hezbollah and from Syria, all members of the so-called Axis of Resistance against Israel and its allies, at a time of high Middle East tensions over the Gaza war.
KHAMENEI had urged Iranians Sunday, as the search was still ongoing, to “not worry” about the leadership of the Islamic republic, saying “there will be no disruption in the country’s work”.
Killed alongside RAISI were Foreign Minster HOSSEIN AMIR- ABDOLLAHIAN, known for his fierce anti-Israel sentiment and scepticism of the West, and seven others, including the pilot, bodyguards and political and religious officials.
Iran’s top nuclear negotiator ALI BAGHERI was appointed as acting foreign minister, government spokesman ALI BAHADORI Bahadori JAHROMI said on state television.
A black flag was hoisted as a sign of mourning at a major Shiite shrine in city of Qom, south of Tehran.