Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar is set to travel to Tehran to attend the funeral of the late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who, along with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian and other officials, died in a helicopter crash. The Ministry of External Affairs announced this on Tuesday.
Thousands of mourners gathered in Iran as the funeral ceremony for Raisi commenced in Tabriz, the north-western city near the crash site.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, “Vice-President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar will visit the Islamic Republic of Iran on May 22, 2024, to attend the official ceremony and pay condolences for the tragic demise of President Dr. Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Dr. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and other Iranian officials in the unfortunate helicopter crash on May 19, 2024.”
President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have expressed their condolences to Iran’s government and people.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar visited the Iranian Embassy in New Delhi on May 21 to extend India’s condolences, as stated in the press release.
Iran’s government has declared a public holiday on Wednesday for the funeral in Tehran, where Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei will lead the prayers. Raisi’s body will be interred in Mashhad, his birthplace, on Thursday, as announced by Vice-President Mohsen Mansouri.
Prime Minister Modi also conveyed his condolences via social media, acknowledging Raisi’s role in strengthening India-Iran relations. “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,” Modi tweeted.
Khamenei announced five days of mourning, with a public holiday and closure of offices across the country.
In New Delhi, a condolence book has been opened at the Iranian Embassy for tributes to the late President, Foreign Minister, and other officials. India is also observing a national day of mourning on May 21.