Azerbaijani MFA condoles deaths of Iranian officials in helicopter crash

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan expressed condolences over the death of President of Iran Ebrahim Raisi and those accompanying him in a helicopter crash, Trend.az reports.

"We are deeply saddened by the terrible news that the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein-Amir Abdollahian, governor of East-Azerbaijan province Malek Rahmati, imam of Tabriz Muhammad Ali Hashem and others accompanying them died during the helicopter crash.

We offer our sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of all of those demised. We mourn these heartbreaking deaths, a tragic loss beyond words. Azerbaijan offers support and solidarity to the brotherly and friendly Islamic Republic of Iran," the message of the MFA reads.

On May 19, a helicopter carrying President Ebrahim Raisi made a hard landing on its way from Hudafarin to Tabriz.

On May 20, Iran announced the death of nine people as a result of the helicopter crash.

Along with the President of Iran, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Representative of the Supreme Leader of Iran in Tabriz and the imam of the mosque in Tabriz, Muhammad Ali Ali Hashemi, the governor of East Azerbaijan Province, Malik Rahmati, members of the security service of the Iranian President, an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) employee, two pilots, and an unknown person were on board.