Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei’s message reads, “It was with great sadness and regret that I received the bitter news of the martyrdom-like demise of the Mujahid scholar, the popular, efficient and hardworking president and his entourage.”
The Leader announced five days of national mourning for the death of the Iranian officials, including Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and the Friday prayers leader of Tabriz Ayatollah Seyyed Mohammad Ali Ale-Hashem.
Invoking Article 131 of the Constitution, the Leader approved Vice President Mohammad Mokhber to serve as acting president and the head of the executive branch and make the preparations to elect a new president within a maximum of fifty days.
The Leader praised the ‘indefatigable’ president, recalling President Raisi was serving the nation and coming back from the inauguration of a dam in northwestern Iran when the tragic crash cut his life short.
