Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Monday condoled the deaths of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and several other officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran in a helicopter crash.
Taking to X (formerly known as Twitter), PM Anwar Ibrahim shared a picture of him with Ebrahim Raisi alongwith a note that read:
“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. My heartfelt condolences go out to the people of Iran during this profoundly difficult time. May Allah bless their souls and place them among the Righteous.”
“I had the honour of meeting President Raisi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly last November. He exemplified a deep commitment to the welfare of his people and the dignity of his nation, which represents a proud and rich civilisation rooted in the principles of Islam. His dedication to justice, peace, and the upliftment of the ummah was truly inspiring. We committed ourselves to bolstering Malaysia-Iran relations, working together for the betterment of our peoples and the Muslim world. Our pledge will be fulfilled.”
“To Allah we belong and to Him we shall return…” Iran’s vice president Mohsen Mansouri confirmed Ebrahim Raisi death.
Following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi, Iran’s vice president Muhammad Mukhbar will assume the role of acting president, pending approval from the Supreme Leader.
The news about Raisi’s demise comes a day after a helicopter carrying him and his Foreign Minister crashed. The wreckage was found on Monday by rescuers and the local media had earlier reported that “no sign of life’ were found at the crash site.
More than twelve hours later, rescuers found the wreckage of the helicopter about two kilometers away. The incident occurred near Jolfa, a town on the border with Azerbaijan, about 600 kilometers (375 miles) northwest of the Iranian capital, Tehran. Raisi was reportedly returning from neighboring Azerbaijan.
Nine people were onboard the helicopter including Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, Governor of East Azerbaijan Province Malek Rahmati, Tabriz’s Friday prayer Imam Mohammad Ali Alehashem, a pilot, copilot, crew chief, head of security, and another bodyguard.
Ebrahim Raisi, 63, was long been considered the natural successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s highest authority.
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