Helicopter crash in Iran: Five days of mourning declared for President Raisi

It was initially reported that the helicopter carrying the men and their entourage had made a hard landing in foggy weather.

The area where the plane crashed is close to the border with Azerbaijan, where Mr Raisi had met President Ilham Aliyev.

According to local media, he was there to open the Qiz Qalasi and Khodaafarin dams.

On Monday, the Iranian Red Crescent confirmed that the bodies of the president and others who died in the crash had been recovered and search operations had ended.

“We are in the process of transferring the bodies of the martyrs to Tabriz (in northwestern Iran),” the organization’s head said on state television.

Iranian news portal Tasnim, affiliated with the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reported that President Ebrahim Raisi’s funeral would take place in Tabriz on Tuesday.

Mr. Raisi, 63, was a hardline cleric and his election as president in 2021 cemented conservatives’ control over all parts of the Islamic Republic.

In a statement following his death, the Iranian government said it would continue its work “without interruption.”

A number of countries have expressed their condolences following the death of President Raisi.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a national day of mourning and described Mr. Raisi and Mr. Amir-Abdollahian as “good friends of Iran.”

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on social media that he was “deeply saddened and shocked” by the deaths.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his government was “in full contact and coordination with the Iranian authorities” and was ready to “provide any necessary support.”

He said Turkey would observe a national day of mourning.

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed condolences and said the president and foreign minister were “true, reliable friends of our country”, while China’s President Xi Jinping said Mr Raisi had contributed to Iran’s security and stability.

The EU expressed its “sincere condolences” on Monday and European Council President Charles Michel said “our thoughts are with the families.”

Hamas praised Mr. Raisi’s support for the Palestinian group, while Lebanon’s Tehran-backed Hezbollah movement said it mourned the death of its protector.

However, the White House said the late president was responsible for Iran’s support of “terrorist networks throughout the region” and that he had “a lot of blood on his hands.”

White House national security spokesman John Kirby said the Iranian president was responsible for “horrific human rights abuses in his own country.”

“For example, the arrests and physical violence against hundreds of protesters,” Kirby said.

“And of course he is responsible for the support that Iran provides, or was responsible for the support that Iran has provided, to terrorist networks throughout the region.”