King Salman, Crown Prince condole death of Iran’s President Raisi

Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia expressed on Monday its condolences over the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and a number of other senior officials in a helicopter crash on Sunday.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman offered their condolences in cables of condolences sent to Iran’s Acting President Mohammad Mokhber. In his cable, King Salman said. “We came to know the news of the death of Dr. Ibrahim Raisi, president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and those who accompanied him – may God have mercy on them. We send you and the brotherly people of Iran our deepest and sincere condolences. Let us supplicate to God Almighty to shower His vast mercy and forgiveness on the departed souls, and may accommodate them in His spacious Paradise. We belong to Allah and to Him we shall return.”

In his telegram of condolences, Crown Prince said: “We received news of the death of Dr. Ibrahim Raisi, president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and those accompanied him – may God have mercy on them. We offer you our heartfelt condolences and sincere sympathy, asking the Almighty God to shower the souls of the deceased with His vast mercy and forgiveness, and to accommodate them in His spacious Paradise.”

Earlier on Monday, Iranian Vice President Mohsen Mansouri announced the death of President Ebrahim Raisi and his accompanying delegation in the helicopter crash, which occurred on Sunday in the northwestern region of Iran. The helicopter – one of three travelling in a convoy – crashed in heavy fog in a mountainous area.

Raisi was heading to the city of Tabriz, in the north-west of Iran, after returning from a dam opening ceremony on the Azerbaijan border. Raisi, Hossein Amirabdollahian and others have been found dead at the site of a helicopter crash Monday after hours-long search through a foggy, mountainous region of the country’s northwest, state media reported.