YEREVAN — Armenia’s political leadership expressed on Monday condolences over the deaths of Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in a helicopter crash.
The deaths were announced early in the morning after Iranian authorities found in mountainous terrain near Iran’s border with Azerbaijan the wreckage of the helicopter that carried Raisi, Amir-Abdollahian and six other passengers and crew.
Head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society Pir Hosein Kolivand said on Monday morning that all passengers and crew of the helicopter were killed. The crash occurred on its way to the city of Tabriz.
In a message to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said he is “shocked” by the deadly crash.
“I am shocked by the death of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran and his accompanying delegation in the helicopter crash. On behalf of the Government and people of the Republic of Armenia, I express my sincere condolences and words of comfort on the tragic death of my dear friend and colleague President Seyed Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian and their entourage. I express my support to the government and the people of the Islamic Republic of Iran and wish them strength and steadfastness in this difficult time,” the Armenian Prime Minister’s message reads.
President of the Republic of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan also conveyed his condolences to the government and people of Iran following the tragic helicopter accident that claimed the lives of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran and his accompanying staff.
“Deeply shocked by the devastating news of helicopter crash, which claimed lives of Iran Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian, other officials. My sincerest condolences to Government and friendly people of Iran. We share the grief of the people of Iran and wish fortitude and endurance at this tough time, Khachaturyan noted in a post on X’s microblog.
Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan reacted to the “devastating news from Iran” on X the social media platform. He offered his “deepest condolences” to the government and “friendly people” of Iran.”
“Having learned the devastating news from Iran, including the tragic death of my dear colleague and friend Abdollahian, I express my deepest condolences to the government, colleagues from the Foreign Ministry and the friendly people of Iran. We share your grief and wish you strength in this dark time,” Ararat Mirzoyan wrote in social network X.
Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikyan sent a telegram of condolences to the Minister of Defense of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani on the death of the Iranian President and his accompanying personnel in a helicopter crash, the press service of the Armenian Defense Ministry reported
“With great sorrow I learned about the death of the President, Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the officials accompanying them as a result of a helicopter crash on May 19. As a close and friendly country of the Islamic Republic of Iran, we in the Republic of Armenia took with great pain the news of the untimely tragic death of President Raisi, Foreign Minister Abdollahian and other officials. We express our condolences to the families and friends of the deceased and wish strength and fortitude to the pious Iranian people. On behalf of the RA Ministry of Defense and on my own behalf, please accept our condolences and support,” the Defense Minister’s message reads.
