Iran announces five days of mourning after President Raisi’s death
Al Jazeera
President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian were killed in a helicopter crash in poor weather.
Iran has declared five days of mourning in memory of President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and other Iranian officials who were killed in a helicopter crash.
Many Iranians packed into mosques and squares on Monday to pray for the officials, who died on Sunday when the helicopter they were travelling in crashed in poor weather in mountains near the border with Azerbaijan.
The bodies of Raisi, 63; Amirabdollahian, 60; and the other officials and staff have been brought to Tabriz, the capital city of Iran’s East Azerbaijan province, where a public procession was held.
Another ceremony will be held on Tuesday morning when the funeral rites will begin as the bodies are transferred to Tehran. In the Iranian capital, another procession and other ceremonies will be held.
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who holds ultimate power with a final say on foreign policy and Iran’s nuclear programme, said First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber will take over as interim president, the official IRNA news agency reported.
