Pope Francis expressed his condolences on the death of the president of Iran in a helicopter accident on 19 May Sunday. The Pope sent a telegram to Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei, Iran’s most important spiritual guide, with his condolences.
In the text released by the Vatican this Monday, the Holy Father also expressed his condolences for the death of “the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and all those who perished in the accident” yesterday.
“By entrusting the souls of the deceased to the mercy of the Almighty and with my prayers for those who mourn their departure, especially their families, I assure my spiritual closeness to the nation in these difficult times,” Pope Francis concluded.
In addition to the president and the minister, seven other people died in the accident that occurred near the Iranian city of Varzaqan, according to CNN en Español.
Who was Ebrahim Raisi, president of Iran?
Ebrahim Raisi was president of Iran between August 2021 and this month of May 2024. In 2017 he had also tried to become president, but without success.
Raisi was born on December 14, 1960. He was 63 years old.
The president’s death occurs at a time of tension in the Middle East, within the framework of the war between Israel and Gaza.
A few weeks ago, Iran launched a drone and missile attack against Israel , successfully repelled, in response to an attack on its diplomatic residence in Syria.