More countries declare national mourning over President Raeisi’s martyrdom
Following the martyrdom of Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi in a helicopter accident in the northwestern region of the country, many countries around the world have announced national mourning ceremonies, as global dignitaries offered their sympathies to the Iranian authorities and citizens.
The Dizmar forest in East Azarbaijan Province became the site of a devastating helicopter crash on Sunday, resulting in the unfortunate deaths of Raeisi and his accompanying delegation.
Apart from the President, on board the chopper were Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, East Azarbaijan Governor Malek Rahmati, Tabriz Friday Prayers leader 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.
Despite facing challenging weather conditions, search teams successfully located the charred remains of the helicopter after an extensive search. Tragically, it was confirmed that all the passengers on board had perished.
After the news spread, condolence messages kept on pouring in for the Iranian nation from across the world, while countries like Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, India, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Cuba, and Sri Lanka announced national mourning throughout their respective countries to express condolences for the martyrs.
The Syrian and Lebanese governments announced a 3-day national mourning, while, India, Iraq, and Pakistan announced a one day state mourning. The Government of Tajikistan also announced two days of mourning.
On Tuesday, Turkey, Cuba, and Sri Lanka announced a one-day public mourning in solidarity with the people and government of Iran.
President Raeisi and the delegation accompanying him were on their way back from a ceremony marking the opening of a dam on the Aras River, alongside Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev.
