Lebanon Announces 3 Days Mourning Over The Death Of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi

DOC/Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev'PHOTO via Wikimedia Commons/Biro Pers Presidency Azerbaijan

JAKARTA - Lebanon announced three days of mourning over the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Lebanese Foreign Minister Najib Mikati said.

Lebanese-based Hezbollah one of the strongest paramilitary forces in the Middle East is arguably the most powerful non-Iranian partner.

Previously, the Iranian government expressed its condolences for the death of President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and seven other people in a helicopter crash in East Azerbaijan, Iran.

In a statement on Monday, May 20, the presidential cabinet praised Raisi as a hard and tireless worker' president who serves the Iranian people to help the country's progress.

"[He] kept his promise and sacrificed his life for the sake of the nation," the statement was quoted as saying by CNN.

The Cabinet also reiterated "there will be no slight disturbance" in the Iranian government after the deadly accident.

Meanwhile, regarding the handling of the helicopter crash, the bodies of the dead will be evacuated to the city of Tabriz.

Iran's Red Crescent head, according to Tasnim News, was quoted by CNN as saying Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian were among those killed.

Search and rescue efforts have ended, Pir-Hossein Kolivand said.

The helicopter crashed while traveling from East Azerbaijan province in Iran to the city of Tabriz.