Leaders from around the world have expressed
condolences and shock at the tragic deaths of President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign
Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and seven others in a helicopter crash in
Iran's remote northwest.
They are offering their sympathies to the Iranian government
and people over the incident that happened on Sunday afternoon with many taking
to social media to pay tribute to the deceased officials.
Russia:
Vladimir Putin
Putin extended his “deep condolences” to Leader of the
Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, calling the deaths of Raisi
and other officials a “huge tragedy” and “a difficult, irreparable loss.”
Putin said Raisi was “an outstanding politician whose entire
life was devoted to serving the Motherland.”
“He rightfully enjoyed high respect from his compatriots and
significant authority abroad. As a true friend of Russia, he made an invaluable
personal contribution to the development of good neighborly relations between
our countries and made great efforts to bring them to the level of strategic
partnership,” the Russian president said.
Putin said he had met Raisi several times and “will forever
retain the fondest memory of this wonderful man.”
Putin spoke to Iran’s interim President Mohammad Mokhber. The
two leaders stressed their “mutual intention to further strengthen
Russian-Iranian interaction”.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov also said
Moscow will continue to deepen its relationship with Iran and previous
agreements with Tehran will be implemented.
China: Xi
Jinping
Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed deep condolences over
the death of Iran’s president.
“His unfortunate death is a huge loss to the Iranian people,
and also caused China to lose a good friend,” said Foreign Ministry
spokesperson Wang Wenbin at a daily news briefing, quoting President Xi.
The Chinese president praised Raisi’s “important
contributions to safeguarding Iran’s security and stability” and for “positive
efforts” on Beijing-Tehran relations.
Palestine:
Mahmoud Abbas
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas extended the deepest
condolences to the government and people of Iran on the death of the
Iranian president and other officials.
“We extend our sincere condolences and sympathy to the
brotherly Iranian people on the death of the late President Ebrahim Raisi and
the Minister of Foreign Affairs, praying to God Almighty may have mercy on the
deceased Iranian President, and grant their families patience and solace,
stressing the solidarity of the State of Palestine and its people with the
Iranian leadership and people in this great affliction," President Abbas
said.
Gaza:
Hamas
Hamas issued a statement mourning the deaths of Iran’s
president and foreign minister.
The resistance group said the helicopter crash “claimed the
lives of a group of the best Iranian leaders,” praising their “honorable
positions in support of our Palestinian cause, and support for the legitimate
struggle of our people against the Zionist entity,”.
The statement added, “We are confident that the Islamic
Republic of Iran will be able — God willing — to overcome the repercussions of
this great loss. The dear Iranian people have ancient institutions capable of
dealing with this severe ordeal.”
Islamic
Jihad
The Islamic Jihad also called the deaths of Raisi and Amir
Abdollahian “a great loss for the Palestinian people in these difficult
circumstances, as they had a prominent and clear role in supporting and
assisting the Palestinian people’s struggle and resistance”.
Syria
and Lebanon
Lebanon and Syria on Monday announced three days of national
mourning for the passing of the Iranian president and foreign minister.
"I can't tell you how sorry I am about this incident
that happened. Especially that the foreign minister had become a friend,"
Lebanon's Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib told reporters on Monday.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad also expressed solidarity
with Iran.
“We worked with the late president (Raisi) to ensure that
the strategic relations between Syria and Iran remain prosperous always, and we
will always remember his visit to Syria as an important milestone in this path,
and all the visions and ideas that he presented to enrich relations with everything
that benefits the Syrian and Iranian peoples,” Assad’s office said in a
statement.
Hezbollah
calls Raisi protector of resistance and defender of Arab issues
The Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah mourned the
deaths of the Iranian president and foreign minister.
Hezbollah described Raisi as “a big brother to us, a strong
supporter, and a staunch defender of our issues and the Arab nations’ issues,
most notably Jerusalem and Palestine, and a protector of the resistance
movements and those fighting on their behalf in all the positions of
responsibility he held.”
Iraq: al-Sudani
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani expressed
“great sadness and great sorrow” in a statement over the deaths of Raisi and
others in the helicopter crash.
He also extended “sincere condolences” to the Leader of the
Islamic Revolution and government and “solidarity with the brotherly Iranian
people.”
Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces, or Hashed al-Shaabi,
also expressed their sympathies, adding that Raisi had “always declared that
Iraq and Iran are one people that cannot be separated.”
Iraq's top cleric Ayatollah Sistani offered condolences to
Iran over the martyrdom of President Raeisi and his companions.
“We received the news of the death of Seyed Ebrahim Raisi,
the president of Iran, and his companions with deep sorrow,” Grand
Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani said.
"I offer my condolences to the nation and government of
Iran, especially the families of the deceased, and wish them
patience," Ayatollah al-Sistani added.
Ansarullah
Yemen’s Ansarullah movement mourned the death of Raisi and
other senior officials in the helicopter crash.
“Our deepest condolences to the Iranian people and the
Iranian leadership and to the families of the president and the accompanying
delegation,” Mohamed Ali al-Houthi, the head of the Ansarullah’s Supreme
Revolutionary Committees said.
“The Iranian people will continue to have leaders loyal to
their people, God willing,” he added.
Pakistan: Shehbaz
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced a day
of mourning over Raisi’s death.
“I along with the government and people of Pakistan extend
our deepest condolences and sympathies to the Iranian nation on this terrible
loss. May the martyred souls rest in heavenly peace. The great Iranian nation
will overcome this tragedy with customary courage,” Sharif wrote on X.
Sharif, who recently hosted Raisi and Amir Abdollahian when
they visited Pakistan, said, “They were good friends of Pakistan.”
Pakistan:
Zardari
Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari in a statement also
expressed shock and sorrow over Raisi’s death. He extended his condolences to
the bereaved families of the Iranian president, the foreign minister and others
who died in the accident.
Jamia Al-Azhar
In a statement, the Al-Azhar al-Sharif, the Sunni world’s
foremost seat of religious learning, mourned the death of President Raisi, Amir
Abdollahian and others who were killed in the helicopter crash.
Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, the grand imam of Cairo-based
Al-Azhar, extended his condolences to the Iranian people and the families of the
dead officials.
Al-Azhar is a prestigious religious institution across the
Muslim world. A 1,000-year-old university of scholar-clerics, it teaches new
generations of Sunni clerics and produces research that for many spells out
what being a Muslim entails.
Egypt: Sisi
Egypt's president extended his condolences for the deaths of
Raisi and Amir Abdollahian.
"Egypt mourns, with great sadness and grief" the Iranian president
and Tehran's top diplomat, "who passed away on Sunday following a painful
accident," the presidency said in a statement.
Sisi also extended "his sincere condolences and sympathy" to the
Iranian people. He expressed Cairo's "solidarity with the leadership and
people of Iran in this terrible loss."
IAEA
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency called at
a conference on nuclear security in Vienna for a minute of silence in memory of
the Iranian president, foreign minister and the other victims of the helicopter
crash.
“I extend my condolences on [their] tragic passing,” Rafael Mariano Grossi
wrote on X on Monday. “Our thoughts are with their families and the people of
Iran during this difficult time.”
Afghanistan:
Akhund
In Afghanistan, Taliban said it was deeply saddened by the
deaths of the Iranian president and foreign minister.
“We share our grief with the Islamic Republic of Iran and
the people of that country and offer our condolences to all the families of the
victims, the nation and the government of Iran,” the Taliban prime minister,
Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, said in a statement.
Turkey:
Erdogan
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan conveyed his
condolences to the Iranian people and government over the deaths of Raisi, Amir
Abdollahian and other officials in the helicopter crash.
Erdogan said in a statement posted on X that he remembers
Raisi “with respect and gratitude” and praised his “efforts for the peace of
the Iranian people and our region during his time in office.”
Azerbaijan:
Aliyev
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev extended condolences to
Iran’s Leader, saying in a statement that he and his government were “deeply
shocked by the heavy loss that befell the brotherly and friendly Islamic
Republic of Iran and its people.”
Aliyev said, “The people of Iran have lost an outstanding
statesman who served his country selflessly and faithfully all his life. The
bright memory of him will always live in our hearts.”
India:
Modi
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was deeply
saddened and shocked by the news of Raisi’s death, and sent his condolences to
the president’s family and the people of Iran.
“India stands with Iran in this time of sorrow,” Modi said
in a post on X as his country also announced a day of national mourning over
the death of the Iranian president and foreign minister.
Malaysia:
Ibrahim
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he was
"deeply saddened" by the death of the Iranian president and other
officials in the helicopter crash, noting their shared commitment to bolstering
ties.
"I am deeply saddened by the tragic deaths of President Ebrahim Raisi,
Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian and several other officials of the
Islamic Republic of Iran," he said in a statement on social media.
Vietnam:
Xuan
Acting State President of the Socialist Republic of
Vietnam Vo Thi Anh Xuan, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and President of the
National Assembly Tran Thanh Man, are grieved to learn about the passing of
President Ebrahim Raisi, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian
and other members of the entourage. They extended their deepest condolences to
the interim President of Iran, Mohammad Mokhber, Parliament speaker Mohammad
Baqer Qalibaf, and through them, to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah
Seyyed Ali Khamenei; the government and people of Iran.
Qatar: Al
Thani
The Emir of Qatar offered condolences to the government and
people of Iran on the death of Raisi and other officials who lost their lives
in the copter crash.
"I offer my condolences to the government and people of
the Islamic Republic of Iran on the death of President Ebrahim Raeisi and the
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, and the accompanying
officials in the painful incident of the helicopter crash," Tamim bin
Hamad Al Thani wrote.
UAE: Al
Nahyan
In the UAE, President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
expressed condolences to the Iranian government and people following the death
of Raisi and Amir Abdollahian.
On his X account, Sheikh Mohamed tweeted: “I extend my deepest condolences to
the Iranian government and people over the passing of President Ebrahim Raisi,
Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, and those accompanying them
following a tragic accident.
“We pray that God grants them eternal rest and we extend our
heartfelt sympathies to their families. The UAE stands in solidarity with Iran
at this difficult time.”
Saudi Arabia:
Mohammed bin Salman
King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the
kingdom's de facto ruler, "offer their condolences to his Excellency, the
acting head of the executive authority, Mohammad Mokhber, on the death of His Excellency
Ebrahim Raisi, president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and his companions,"
said a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency.
Jordan:
Abdullah
The King of Jordan conveyed his country’s condolences over
the passing of Iranian officials in the helicopter crash.
"My deepest condolences to the brothers, leadership,
government, and people of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the death of Brother
President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Brother Hossein Amir
Abdollahian, and those accompanying them, may God have mercy on them all,"
Jordan’s King Abdullah II wrote in X account.
The King emphasized in his message that his country stands
with the brothers in Iran in this difficult situation.
South
Africa: Ramaphosa
South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa, who recently
invited Iran to join the BRICS group, expressed deep regret over the death of
President Raisi.
"This is an extraordinary, unthinkable tragedy that has
claimed a remarkable leader of a nation with whom South Africa enjoys strong
bilateral relations," Ramaphosa said.
Ramaphosa visited Iran as deputy president in 2015 and in
2023 welcomed Raisi to a summit of the BRICS group in Johannesburg, where the
Islamic Republic was formally invited to join.
European
Union: Borrell
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell in a
brief statement offered condolences for the deaths of Iran’s president and
foreign minister and “other Iranian officials involved in the tragic helicopter
crash.”
“The EU expresses its sympathies to the families of all the
victims and to the Iranian citizens affected,” the statement said.
The European Council president also sent a message.
“The EU expresses its sincere condolences for the death of
President Raisi and Foreign Minister Abdollahian, as well as other members of
their delegation and crew in a helicopter accident. Our thoughts go to the
families,” Charles Michel wrote on X.
Switzerland:
Cassis
“In light of the helicopter accident that claimed the lives
of President Ebrahim Raisi, my counterpart FM @Amirabdolahian, and their
accompanying delegations, I extend my condolences to the families of all the
victims and to the Iranian citizens affected,” Ignazio Cassis said.
France
"France offers its condolences to the Islamic Republic
of Iran following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister
Hossein Amir Abdollahian and those accompanying them," the foreign
ministry said in a statement. It also expressed its "condolences to the
families of the victims of this accident."
NATO: Daklallah
The NATO military alliance expressed condolences
to Iran over the death of Raisi in a helicopter crash.
"Our condolences to the people of Iran for the death of
President Raisi, Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian, and others who perished in
the helicopter crash," said NATO spokesperson Farah Daklallah on X.
WHO: Ghebreyesus
The World Health Organization has also expressed condolences
over the tragic incident in Iran.
“We express our condolences to the people of #Iran and
the families of the late President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein
Amirabdollahian, and all those who lost their lives in the helicopter crash
yesterday,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO chief, wrote on X.
