Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday announced Pakistan will observe a day of mourning and fly its flag at half-mast out of respect for Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi following the latter’s death in a helicopter crash a day earlier.
“Pakistan had the pleasure of hosting President Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian on a historic visit, less than a month ago,” Sharif wrote in a statement on X, formerly Twitter. “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 Raisi and his companions and in solidarity with Brotherly Iran,” he added.
In a preceding post, the prime minister had written he was “hoping” for good news since hearing of the crash on Sunday. “Alas, this was not to be,” he said. “I along with the government and people of Pakistan extend our deepest condolences and sympathies to the Iranian nation on this terrible loss. May the martyred souls rest in heavenly peace. The great Iranian nation will overcome this tragedy with customary courage,” he added.
Earlier, an Iranian official told the Reuters news agency that Raisi and his foreign minister were both killed in a helicopter crash in mountainous terrain and icy weather in the East Azerbaijan province. “President Raisi, the foreign minister and all the passengers in the helicopter were killed in the crash,” the official told Reuters, with state media confirming the deaths.
Iranian media said images from the crash site indicated the aircraft slammed into a mountain peak, adding rescue efforts were hampered by blizzards and difficult terrain. “We can see the wreckage and the situation does not look good,” the head of Iran’s Red Crescent, Pirhossein Kolivand, told state TV, adding there were no signs of life in the wreckage.
Raisi, 63, was elected president in 2021, and since taking office has ordered a tightening of morality laws, overseen a bloody crackdown on anti-government protests and pushed hard in nuclear talks with world powers. He had also boosted efforts to revive ties with Iran’s neighbors, including Pakistan and India.
Amidst the mourning, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei sought to reassure Iranians that there would be no disruption to state affairs. Under Iranian law, elections for Raisi’s replacement would need to occur within 2 months.
Raisi had been at the Azerbaijani border on Sunday to inaugurate the Qiz-Qalasi Dam, a joint project. Ahead of the confirmation of Raisi’s death, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev had offered assistance in the rescue.
Apart from the prime minister, various members of Pakistan’s leadership offered their condolences over Raisi’s death, including Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani.