In a message, Grand Ayatollah Khamenei condoled the martyrdom of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Dr. Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi, Dr. Amirabdollahian, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hojjat al-Islam Ale-Hashem, the Representative of the Guardian of the Islamic Jurist in East Azarbaijan, Dr. Rahmati, the Governor General of East Azarbaijan Province, and their esteemed companions in the helicopter crash.

The message of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution is as follows:

In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَیْهِ رَاجِعُونَ

(Indeed we belong to Allah and to Him do we indeed return)

It was with great sadness and regret that I received the bitter news of the martyrdom-like demise of the diligent scholar, the competent and hard-working President, Imam Reza’s (AS) servant, Mr. Haj Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi and his dear companions (may God bless them).

This unfortunate incident happened during a service attempt. The entire period of responsibility of this noble and selfless person, both during the short term of the presidency and before that, was completely spent in non-stop efforts to serve the people, the country, and Islam.

Dear Raisi did not know what fatigue was. In this tragic incident, the Iranian nation lost a sincere and valuable servant. For him, the welfare and satisfaction of the people, which indicates God’s satisfaction, was preferred over everything else, so his annoyances from the ungratefulness and taunts of some ill-wishers did not prevent him from working day and night to improve affairs.

In this unbearable incident, prominent personalities such as Hojjat al-Islam Ale-Hashem, the popular and reliable Friday Imam of Tabriz, Mr. Amirabdollahian, the hard-working and active Foreign Minister, Mr. Malek Rahmati, the revolutionary and pious Governor General of East Azerbaijan, and the flight crew and other companions also entered into God’s rest.

I announce five days of public mourning and express my condolences to the dear people of Iran.

According to Article 131 of the Constitution, Mr. Mokhber is in the position of managing the executive branch (government) and is obliged to arrange for a new President to be elected within 50 days, together with the heads of the Parliament and judiciary.

In the end, I offer my sincere condolences to the dear mother of Mr. Raisi and his honorable wife and other family members of the President and the respected families of his companions, especially the respected father of Mr. Ale-Hashem, and I pray for their patience and consolation and God’s mercy for the departed.