IEA ‘stands by’ Iranian people during this ‘difficult’ time

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) said on Monday that it was with great regret they learned that the Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Imam Solat Jumaat Bandar Tabriz Hojjatoleslam Al Hashem, and their accompanying staff lost their lives in a chopper crash on Sunday.

According to a statement issued by the IEA, “the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and all Afghans are deeply saddened and affected by this tragic accident.

“We share this grief with the Islamic Republic of Iran and the people of that country, and offer our condolences to all the families of the victims, the nation and the government of Iran,” read the statement.

The announcement also stated: “In this difficult situation, we are with the people of Iran and we pray for forgiveness to all the victims of this accident and patience to their families.”

On Monday morning, an Iranian official confirmed the deaths of the president and foreign minister.

This comes after rescuers searched through the night in mountains in the north west of the country for the crash site.

The helicopter had been returning to Tabriz after the president and foreign minister visited a dam project on the border with Azerbaijan.

The chopper went down in bad weather in remote mountains that are heavily forested.