Prime Minister Shehbaz has announced a day of mourning for the death of President Ebrahim Raisi, who was 63. “The great Iranian nation will overcome this tragedy with customary courage,” he said.
Pakistan had the pleasure of hosting President Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian on a historic visit, less than a month ago. They were good friends of Pakistan. Pakistan will observe a day of mourning and the flag will fly at half mast as a mark of respect for… https://t.co/fVP26Mtiyr
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) May 20, 2024
PM Shehbaz had been “hoping for good news” after hearing about the crash landing of President Raisi’s helicopter. “Alas, this was not to be.” Earlier today, Iranian state agencies confirmed President Raisi’s death after his helicopter, carrying nine people, crashed into a mountain in heavy fog while returning from the Iran-Azerbaijan border, according to Iranian officials.
The prime minister, grieving President Raisi’s loss, recalled Raisi’s and Iranian Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian’s recent visit to Pakistan last month. He added that the country would mourn the loss by hoisting the flag at half-mast and observing a day of mourning.
The helicopter, which included President Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and other officials, lost contact about 30 minutes into the flight, prompting immediate concerns and a massive search and rescue operation.
State media reported that search teams found the country’s foreign minister and others dead at the crash site Monday after hours of searching through the foggy, mountainous region in the northwest.
