By eastafrican gazette
On May 20, 2024, the global community was stunned by the unexpected announcement of the death of Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi.
Reports from the country’s state media FARS News Agency, revealed that Raisi tragically lost his life in a helicopter crash due to adverse weather conditions in the mountains close to the Azerbaijan border.
The tragic incident happened in Dizmar forest, located between the cities of Varzaqan and Jolfa in East Azerbaijan province.
In footage by the state media, it shows the crash site situated on a steep hillside, where only fragments of the helicopter can be seen.
On the morning of May 21, 2024, the wreckage of the helicopter was discovered following an extensive search conducted overnight.
Accompanying him on the journey were his Foreign Minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, as well as six other passengers and crew members.
Additionally, Raisi was also being considered a potential candidate to succeed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
At 63, Raisi assumed the presidency in 2021 and has since implemented stricter morality regulations, supervised a brutal suppression of anti-government demonstrations, and exerted significant efforts in the negotiations concerning nuclear matters with global powers.
Various leaders from different parts of the world took to their social media pages to mourn their fellow leader.
In accordance with the Iranian Constitution, Vice President Mohammad Mokhber will assume presidential powers until new elections are held within 50 days.
The President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa took to his official X page formerly twitter and wrote: “We are deeply saddened by the deaths of Iranian President Ayatollah Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and personnel. We have passed our condolences to the Supreme Leader and the people of Iran”.
The Russian President Vladimir Putin described Raisi as a significant politician and a “true friend of Russia,” noting his efforts to strengthen bilateral relations.
Josep Borrell Fontelles, the High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President to the EU Commission, said the EU offers its condolences for the death of President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hussein Amir Abdollahian and other Iranian officials involved in the tragic helicopter crash on Sunday.
“The EU expresses its sympathies to the families of all the victims and to the Iranian citizens affected,” he noted.
Italy’s Prime Minister Georgia Meloni acknowledged the accident and dismissed conspiracy theories.
In his message, President of Kenya, Samuel Ruto described the late as a fearless leader and a dedicated public servant with a long and distinguished career in public service.
“He was a firm leader committed to the causes that he believed in and sought to elevate Iran’s standing on the global stage. Kenya and the Republic of Iran share cordial relations signified by the fact that in his first-ever trip to the African Continent as President, H.E. Ebrahim Raisi chose Kenya as his first destination. As we condole with the people of Iran, we commend Allah’s mercy and comfort to the people of Iran,” he noted.
The region, Afghanistan’s Acting Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, the prime minister of the Islamic Emirate, expressed his condolences over the death of the president of Iran.
“We share this grief and sorrow with the Islamic Republic of Iran and its people, and we offer our condolences to the families of the victims, the nation, and the government of Iran,” he noted.
Raisi visited Uganda last year on the 12th July 2023.
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