The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran expressed condolences over the martyrdom of Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Monday morning.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian have martyred in a helicopter crash in the northwestern province of East Azarbaijan.
The helicopter carrying President Raeisi and his accompanying delegation crashed on Sunday in the Dizmar forest, nestled between the cities of Varzaqan and Jolfa in East Azarbaijan Province.
It was transporting Raeisi, Amir-Abdollahian, East Azarbaijan Governor Malek Rahmati, Friday Prayers leader of the city of Tabriz Seyyed Mohammad Ali Al-e Hashem, and a member of the president’s bodyguard team Mahdi Mousavi. The helicopter’s pilot, co-pilot, and crew were also among others on board the chopper.
President Raeisi and his accompanying delegation were returning from a ceremony to inaugurate a dam on the Aras River with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev.
The honorable martyrs of this bitter and unfortunate incident gave their blessed lives in the service of Islam and dear Iran, the ministry said.
Raeisi and Amir-Abdollahian have played a historic, influential, and lasting role in the history of Iran's politics and foreign relations as President and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the last three years, it added.
Elevating Iran's position in the international system, strengthening convergence and consolidating bonds of friendship and affection between the countries and nations of the region, as well as the formation of constructive relations in the international system and supporting the establishment of justice at the regional and global level, are parts of the tireless efforts of these two martyrs, the statement added.
Undoubtedly, their martyrdom will not create a disturbance in the determination of the Iranian diplomatic apparatus to secure national interests and play an effective and constructive role in regional and international equations, it added.
The foreign ministry thanked the political and religious officials for expressing sympathy and offering condolences over the tragic incident.
MP/Spox. channel