Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, announced on Monday five days of mourning for President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash.
“I announce five days of public mourning and offer my condolences to the dear people of Iran,” stated Khamenei in an official statement a day after the deaths of Raisi and other officials in the crash in East Azerbaijan province.
Following the death of the president, Khamenei, who wields ultimate power and has the final say on foreign policy and Iran’s nuclear programme, has previously sought to reassure Iranians, stating there would be no disturbance to state business.
Chronicle NG reports that Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister have been declared dead after a helicopter crash in hilly terrain and freezing weather.
“President Raisi’s helicopter was completely burned in the crash… Unfortunately, all passengers are feared dead,” the official told Reuters.
Iranian state media said images from the site showed the helicopter crashed into a mountain peak, although there was no official word yet on the cause of the crash.
Raisi, 63, was elected president in 2021 and has since tightened morals rules, oversaw a deadly crackdown on anti-government protesters, and pushed hard in nuclear talks with foreign powers.
