ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday announced a “Day of Mourning” in the country over the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in helicopter crash in East Azerbaijan province.
In a statement via social media, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed condolences and sympathies to the people of Iran on the death of President of Iran.
Had been anxiously following developments regarding the reported crash landing of President Raisi’s helicopter. Was hoping for good news. Alas, this was not to be. I along with the government and people of Pakistan extend our deepest condolences and sympathies to the Iranian…
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) May 20, 2024
He said, “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 President of Iran and his companions and in solidarity with Brotherly Iran.
His statement comes after a helicopter carrying President of Iran Ebrahim Raisi along with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian and others top officials crashed in the Varzaqan region in the northwest province of East Azerbaijan.
Shehbaz Sharif said that he had been anxiously following developments about the reported crash landing of Raisi’s helicopter. “Was hoping for good news. Alas, this was not to be,” he said.
The Prime Minister recalled that Pakistan had the pleasure of hosting Iran’s President Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian on a historic visit, less than a month ago and remembered them as “good friends of Pakistan.”
He prayed to Allah Almighty for the martyred souls’ peace, and for the Iranian nation to overcome this tragedy with customary courage.
Earlier, Iranian media declared President Ebrahim Raisi dead on Monday following his helicopter crashed in a mountainous northwestern region. Iran’s Mehr agency claimed, “The President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ebrahim Raisi, had an accident while serving and performing his duty for the people of Iran and was “killed”. It reported that the Iranian president, foreign minister and other occupants of the helicopter, including East Azerbaijan Province Governor Malek Rahmati, have been killed.
