The Iranian president travelled yesterday to the northwestern province of East Azerbaijan, where he and his counterpart from Azerbaijan Republic inaugurated a dam on Aras border river. On his way returning to Tabriz to take part in the inauguration ceremony of six oil refining projects at Tabriz oil refinery the chopper carrying Ibrahim Raisi and his companions crashed in which he and all the onboard passengers lost their lives.

Part of the minister of petroleum message is as follows:  

With a heart full of sadness, I offer my condolences on the occasion of the martyrdom of Ayatollah Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi, the beloved Iranian president and his dear companions, to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, his colleagues in the government, and to all peoples of the noble Islamic nation of Iran.

Undoubtedly, the inner purity and sincerity of our beloved brother and martyr, Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi, and other companions, who spent their entire blessed lives for the pride and exaltation of Islamic Iran, caused "martyrdom and companionship with the Imam of the martyrs and the righteous" happens to them as their fate.

Certainly, in the current sensitive situation, the blessed presence of the Supreme Leader as the anchor of the country and the holy system of the Islamic Republic has always been the source of stability and authority of Islamic Iran, and his ingenious plans in the shadow of governorship and the intelligence of the people will make it through this period.

The Ministry of Petroleum is willing to express its condolences to the proud people of Iran, especially the stalwart of the revolution and the Islamic system, Ayatollah Khamenei wishing peace and divine forgiveness to the souls of the martyrs of the serving government, and patience and reward for the noble people of Iran.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian died in a helicopter crash in the northwestern province of East Azarbaijan.

The helicopter carrying President Raisi and his accompanying delegation crashed on Sunday in the Dizmar forest, nestled between the cities of Varzaqan and Jolfa in East Azarbaijan Province, Press TV reported.

It was transporting Raisi, Amir-Abdollahian, East Azarbaijan Governor Malek Rahmati, Friday Prayers leader of the city of Tabriz Seyyed Mohammad Ali Al-e Hashem and a member of the president’s bodyguard team Mahdi Mousavi. The helicopter’s pilot, co-pilot and crew were also among others on board the chopper.

President Raisi and his accompanying delegation were returning from a ceremony to inaugurate a dam on the Aras River with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev.

Iran’s Cabinet Statement

Iran’s Cabinet issued a statement following the martyrdom of President Ebrahim Raisi and his companions in a chopper crash in East Azerbaijan Province, northwest of the country.

In a statement issued on Monday, the Iranian cabinet said that the popular president of Iran, Ayatollah Raisi, has been martyred on the birth anniversary of Imam Reza (AS), the eighth Shia Imam, IRNA reported.

The indefatigable and hard-working president made the ultimate sacrifice on the path of serving his nation, it added.

The statement went on to note that the figure always took steps to help the country advance.

According to IRNA the statement added: “We assure our loyal and appreciative and beloved nation that the path of service will continue with the tireless spirit of Ayatollah Raisi, the hero and the servant of the nation and the faithful friend of the leadership, and with the help of God Almighty and cooperation of the honorable people, there will be no shortcoming in the Jihadi management of the country.”