India lowers flag to half-mast as nation mourns death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi

As India observes a one-day national mourning, the national flag at Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi flies at half-mast on Tuesday, honoring the tragic deaths of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the Foreign Minister, and other high-ranking officials in a helicopter crash. The Iranian Embassy in New Delhi has also lowered its flag to half-mast. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences for the demise of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in a fatal helicopter crash on Monday. In a post on social media platform X, PM Modi recognizes Raisi’s efforts in enhancing the India-Iran bilateral relationship.

“Deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic demise of Dr. Seyed Ebrahim Raisi, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. His contribution to strengthening the India-Iran bilateral relationship will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to his family and the people of Iran. India stands with Iran in this time of sorrow,” PM Modi wrote. Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar condoled the deaths of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian who died in a helicopter crash in the country’s mountainous northwest region.

Also Read: 7.4 degrees in Delhi, IMD’s heatwave alerts for these states

World Leaders Extend Condolences for Iranian President

Following the deaths of the Iranian President and other officials, world leaders offered their condolences on Monday to Raisi, the Iranian Foreign Minister, and other officials who were on board. Former Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif Khansari also posted a message of condolences and expressed his condolences on the “martyrdom” of his successor, Hossein Amirabdollahian, along with President Raisi.

It should be noted here that the helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, and his accompanying delegation crashed on Sunday in the Dizmar forest in East Azarbaijan Province. The Iranian President was returning to Iran following a visit to Azerbaijan when his helicopter came down in bad weather conditions on Sunday afternoon. Raisi’s death, along with the Foreign Minister and other officials in the helicopter crash came as Iran struggles with internal dissent and its relations with the wider world.

Also Read: पुणे: 2 लोगों की जान लेने वाले पोर्श केस में नाबालिग का पिता अरेस्ट, लड़के पर भी बालिग की तरह चलेगा केस

About Ebrahim Raisi

Iran’s hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi had long been seen as a protégé to Iran’s supreme leader and a potential successor for his position within the country’s Shiite theocracy. He earlier ran Iran’s judiciary. He ran unsuccessfully for president in 2017 against Hassan Rouhani, the relatively moderate cleric who as president reached Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. In 2021, Raisi ran again in an election that saw all of his potentially prominent opponents barred for running under Iran’s vetting system. He swept nearly 62% of the 28.9 million votes, the lowest turnout by percentage in the Islamic Republic’s history. Millions stayed home and others voided ballots.