Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday declared a day of mourning for the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollah and other senior officials in a helicopter crash.
In an earlier tweet, Prime Minister Shehbaz said, “Pakistan will observe a day of mourning and the flag will fly in a half circle as a mark of respect to President Raisi and his friends and in solidarity with our Iranian brothers.”
“I, along with the government and people of Pakistan, offer our deepest condolences to the people of Iran,” the prime minister said, praying for the martyrs. “The great people of Iran will overcome this tragedy with their usual courage,” the prime minister said. Shehbaz’s comments came as Iran’s Vice President Mohsen Mansouri confirmed Raisi’s death in a statement on social media and state television Monday. President Raisi, Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian and other top officials were attending the opening ceremony of a dam on the border of Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan when the accident occurred during heavy fog in the Warzakan region of the country’s eastern Azerbaijan province. Sunday afternoon.
According to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), the governor of East Azerbaijan province, Malek Rahmati, and the head of Raisi’s bodyguard, Mehdi Mousavi, were also on the plane that crashed.
A large-scale search and rescue operation was launched in the foggy mountainous region of East Azerbaijan province, and search teams found the wreckage on Monday morning.
Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari also expressed “deep shock and sadness” at the tragic accident.
