People in Iran gather in squares to commemorate Raisi

In Tehran, the capital of Iran, people gathered to commemorate Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his accompanying delegation, who lost their lives in a helicopter crash yesterday. The memorial program held at Valiasr Square in the capital began with the recitation of the Quran. As Iranians participating in the memorial were unable to hold back their tears, they carried banners reading "Take greetings to Soleimani" and "I am proud to have voted for a martyr," along with photographs of Raisi and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, who also lost his life in the crash.

5 DAYS OF NATIONAL MOURNING HAD BEEN DECLARED

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a condolence message he released, offered his condolences to the Iranian people and declared 5 days of national mourning in the country. In his message, Khamenei stated that in accordance with Article 131 of the Constitution, First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber had been granted presidential authority for a period of 50 days.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Following a meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on the Azerbaijan-Iran border, the helicopter carrying Raisi and his delegation made a hard landing in the Dizmar forest between the villages of Berazin and Ardeshiri in Iran's East Azerbaijan province on the return journey. During the search for the wreckage that continued throughout the night, Iranian authorities, directed to the location identified by a Turkish Akıncı UAV towards morning, found the wreckage of the helicopter. The bodies of Raisi and those in his delegation were recovered during the search and rescue operations.

News Source: İHA