A national mourning of 5 days has been declared in Iran

After the helicopter crash in which President Ebrahim Raisi of Iran and his delegation lost their lives, a national mourning period of 5 days was declared.

There is great sorrow in Iran following the helicopter crash that resulted in the death of President Ebrahim Raisi and his delegation. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in his condolence message, expressed his condolences to the Iranian people and declared a national mourning period of 5 days in the country. Khamenei further stated in his message that according to Article 131 of the constitution, the First Vice President Mohammed Mokhber has been granted the presidential powers for a period of 50 days.

During today’s cabinet meeting, it was announced that Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Reza Bakiri has been appointed to replace Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian.

Following the meeting with Aliyev at the Azerbaijan-Iran border, the helicopter carrying Raisi and his delegation made a rough landing on its return journey in the Dizmar forest between the villages of Berazin and Erdeşiri in the East Azerbaijan province of Iran. Throughout the night-long wreckage search operations, Iranian officials, guided by a Turkish Akinci UAV to the designated location, found the wreckage of the helicopter. The first statement on the matter was made by Iran’s Red Crescent President Pirhusein Kulivend, stating that they are trying to reach the area and mentioning that the chances of survival for President of Iran and his delegation are low. Subsequently, in the search and rescue operations using Iranian UAVs, the bodies of Raisi and his delegation were recovered.