ANWAR EXTENDS CONDOLENCES, M'SIAN SOLIDARITY TO IRAN OVER PRESIDENT RAISI'S DEATH

KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today expressed condolences to the people of Iran over the helicopter crash that killed President Ebrahim Raisi and several government officials in northwest Iran, on Sunday.

Anwar said Malaysia also mourned the calamity that befell the friendly country of Iran.

“I am deeply saddened by the tragic deaths of President Ebrahim Raisi and several other officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran, including Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

“Our prayers and solidarity go out to the people of Iran during this profoundly difficult time. May Allah bless their souls and place them among the righteous,” the Prime Minister posted on Facebook.

Anwar also shared a picture of him and Raisi, which was taken during their meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York last November.

“Raisi exemplified a deep commitment to the welfare of his people and the dignity of his nation, which represents a proud and rich civilisation rooted in the principles of Islam.

“His dedication to justice, peace, and the upliftment of the ummah was truly inspiring. We committed ourselves to bolstering Malaysia-Iran relations, working together for the betterment of our peoples and the Muslim world. Our pledge will be fulfilled,” he said.

Earlier, the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) President, Pir-Hossein Kolivand reportedly said that no survivors have been found at the site where the helicopter carrying President Raisi crashed.

Kolivand also revealed that the site of the crash had been found after hours of extensive searching in a mountainous region in the province of East Azerbaijan.

Raisi’s helicopter crashed on Sunday afternoon in the Varzaqan region as he was returning with Hossein and several others from a ceremony to inaugurate a dam on Iran’s border with Azerbaijan.

-- BERNAMA