In call with Iran’s top general, COAS offers condolences over Raisi’s death

RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir on Sunday held a telephonic conversation with Iran’s top general, Mohammad Bagheri and offered condolences over the tragic deaths of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his colleagues, ARY News reported.

According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the army chief “extended deep condolences over the sad and unfortunate incident of helicopter crash on May 19, which led to demise of President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahain and other important officials”.

COAS Asim Munir highlighted that loss of both the leaders and others was truly tragic and irreparable. He, on behalf of all ranks of Pakistan Army, extended prayers for the departed souls and well wishes for the bereaved families.

The army chief further said that Pakistan has historic, cultural and brotherly ties with Iran and the Armed Forces of Pakistan and Iran have always stood together.

Meanwhile, Iran top general Mohammad Bagheri thanked COAS Munir for sharing grief and vowed to continue the cooperation between the two militaries.

On May 19, Iranian President Raisi’s helicopter crashed on a fog-shrouded mountainside in northern Iran on the way to the city of Tabriz after the group attended the inauguration of a dam project on the border with Azerbaijan.

A huge search and rescue operation was launched, involving help from Turkey, Russia and the European Union. State television announced Raisi’s death early on Monday.

Raisi, who was widely expected to succeed Khamenei as supreme leader, was 63.

Huge crowds of Iranians thronged the streets of the capital Tehran on Wednesday for the funeral procession of Raisi and his entourage. In the city centre, mourners clutching portraits of Raisi gathered in and around the University of Tehran, where Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, led the prayers.

Flanked by top officials, Ayatollah Khamenei said prayers over the coffins of the dead, who also included Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian.

The leader of the Palestinian resistance group Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, joined the procession, as did the deputy leader of the Lebanese resistance group Hezbollah, Naim Qassem.

From Tehran, the bodies will be taken to Iran’s second city of Mashhad, Raisi’s hometown in the northeast, where he will be buried on Thursday evening after funeral rites at the Imam Reza shrine.