Hommam Al Nassim 
The Iranian government issued a statement mourning the Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and their accompanying delegation after their helicopter crashed in East Azerbaijan province.
Iran’s government council held an extraordinary meeting chaired by First Vice President Mohammad Mokhareb following the announcement of the death of President Ebrahim Raisi and his accompanying delegation in the helicopter accident.
The delegation that died with the Iranian president included Iranian Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian, Imam Juma Tabriz Ayatollah Al Hashem, Revolutionary Guard officer Mehdi Mousavi, Governor of East Azerbaijan in Iran Malek Rahmati and others.
“On the anniversary of the birth of Imam Ali bin Musa Reza, the great spirit of the servant of the Iranian people rose to its righteousness, and the servant of Reza Ayatollah Raisi, the head of the people and beloved in heaven,” the statement read.
“The hardworking and diligent president of the Iranian people, who knew nothing but serving the great Iranian people in the way of the country’s development and progress, fulfilled his promise and sacrificed his life for the people,” the statement added.
The Iranian government expressed “its condolences over the fatal helicopter accident and the elevation of the beloved and servant and loyal president of the people, Ayatollah Raisi and his companions, the mujahid Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, the Imam of the Friday of Tabriz Hojjatoleslam and the Muslims of the Hashim family, the governor of East Azerbaijan Malik Rahmati and all other companions.”
The statement concluded with the government’s assurance to the loyal, appreciated and cherished Iranian people that “the path of pride and service will continue, and thanks to the spirit of Ayatollah Raisi, the hero, the servant of the people and the loyal friend of the tireless leadership, and with the help of God Almighty and the support of the great people, there will be not the slightest defect or problem in the jihadist management of the country.”
Executive Assistant to the Iranian Presidency Mohsen Mansouri mourned President Ebrahim Raisi, and Iranian state media announced that Raisi and the rest of the helicopter passengers were killed in an air accident in East Azerbaijan province.
Raisi’s helicopter crashed in East Azerbaijan province in bad weather conditions, crashing into a difficult terrain that delayed the arrival of search and rescue teams for long hours due to rugged mountains and adverse weather conditions where visibility was almost impossible.
Several countries, including Russia, Iraq and Turkey, provided urgent assistance to participate in the search for the stricken plane, with the Turkish Akinji drone participating in the search and photography.
Raisi was elected president of the Islamic Republic of Iran through a public vote in 2021, at the age of 61, and during his tenure, Iran restored diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia without Western mediation.
Iran has also dramatically improved its relations with Russia, got rid of the dollar, expanded its economic ties with Moscow and Beijing, and last but not least, Iran under Raisi became a full member of the “BRICS Plus”.
Leaders and kings from Arab and foreign countries offered condolences to the Iranian Republic and its people on the death of the Iranian president and his accompanying delegation, while Lebanon and Pakistan declared mourning in solidarity with the tragic event in Iran, according to statements from the two countries.
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