By Xavier Villar
MADRID- In the early hours of May 20, Iranian media announced the death of President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, the governor of East Azerbaijan province, Malek Rahmati, the Leader’s representative to the province, Mohammad Ali Al-e Hashem, and the president's security detail head.
The announcement of this tragic loss was made 16 hours after contact was lost with the helicopter carrying them back from an inauguration ceremony of a water dam project with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Saturday, the 19th. At least 73 rapid response and rescue teams were deployed for search operations. Azerbaijan, Russia, and Turkey also participated in these search efforts.
The Iranian cabinet issued an official statement expressing: "The beloved President of Iran, Ayatollah Raisi, has been martyred on the anniversary of the birth of Imam Reza (AS), the eighth Shia Imam. The president, tireless and hardworking, made the ultimate sacrifice in his path of serving his nation."
In his condolence message to the nation, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei highlighted President Raisi's dedication to public service. According to Khamenei, "Beloved President Raisi knew no fatigue. In this painful incident, the people of Iran have lost a sincere, dedicated, and valuable servant. For him, the well-being and satisfaction of the people, reflecting divine satisfaction, prevailed above all." Additionally, in the same condolence message, the Leader decreed five days of national mourning.
As soon as the death of the president and his companions was confirmed, several international political leaders began to express their condolences.
From Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed, "Our thoughts and hearts are with Iran at this time." Additionally, he noted that both President Ebrahim Raisi and Hossein Amir-Abdollahian "were known as true and reliable friends of Russia."
Chinese President Xi Jinping described the "tragic death" of Raisi as "a great loss for the Iranian people."
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was "deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic death" of Raisi, Amir Abdollahian, and their accompanying delegation, who were returning from an official trip to Azerbaijan. "My heartfelt condolences to their families and the people of Iran. India stands with Iran in this time of sorrow."
Pakistan's Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, extended his condolences "for this terrible loss" and expressed, "The great Iranian nation will overcome this tragedy with its customary courage."
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who met with the Iranian delegation just hours before the accident, expressed being "deeply shocked by the news of the tragic loss suffered by our friendly and sisterly Islamic Republic of Iran and its people" in a statement addressed to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed, "I remember my brother, President Raisi, with all respect and gratitude," in reference to the deceased Iranian president.
From Iraq, President Abdul Latif al-Rashid said in a statement: "Our heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, and the leadership and people of the Islamic Republic. We affirm that Iraq stands by the Iranian people during this difficult time."
King Abdullah II of Jordan, President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohammed bin Zayed, and the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, also extended heartfelt condolences to the Islamic Republic.
On its part, Lebanon announced three days of national mourning for the deaths of Raisi, Amir Abdollahian, and the rest of their team.
Special mention should be made of the condolences expressed by members of the Resistance Axis.
The Palestinian group Hamas expressed gratitude for President Raisi's support for the Palestinian resistance, as well as his "tireless solidarity with the Palestinians."
On the other hand, Hezbollah expressed in a statement its "deepest condolences and feelings of sympathy" to the Leader of Iran and the people in these moments of sorrow. The statement added, "We have known His Eminence, the martyred president, closely for a long time. He was a big brother to us, a strong supporter, and a staunch defender of our causes and the nation's causes, especially Jerusalem and Palestine, and a protector of the resistance movements and their fighters in all positions of responsibility he assumed."
Mohammad Ali al-Houthi of the Yemeni Ansarallah resistance movement expressed "his deepest condolences to the Iranian people, Iranian leadership, and the families [of the victims]."
Lastly, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad expressed his condolences to the Leader, the government, and the Iranian people, calling the president "a martyr for duty" and affirming his solidarity with the families of all the accident victims.
This legacy of unwavering support for the Resistance Axis in its struggle against Zionist colonial occupation and Western military presence in the region characterized Raisi's brief presidency and his government team, who assumed office in 2021. During this time, the primary priority of Raisi's government was to support the anti-colonial Palestinian cause. Since the 2021 electoral campaign, the issue of Palestine has been one of the most prominent within his political vision.
As Ivan Kesic recalls in an article published in Press TV, during the inauguration ceremony in August 2021, President Raisi described Iran's support for the oppressed people of Palestine as a clear example of the Iranian people's true friendship towards Palestine.
This friendship was once again evident in the support given to Palestinian resistance movements after Hamas launched its operation against the Zionist Entity on October 7th. At that time, Raisi confirmed "Iranian support for the legitimate defense of the Palestinian nation. The Zionist regime and its supporters are responsible for endangering the security of the nations in the region and must be held accountable for it."
Another key moment, in terms of discourse, during President Raisi's tenure was his participation in the emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation held in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, in November 2023. In this meeting, Raisi unequivocally condemned the genocide in Gaza and urged the international community to boycott the Zionist regime, which he referred to as the "illegitimate offspring of the United States." Emphasizing the need to maintain an Ummatic policy that distinguishes between friends and enemies, President Raisi demanded that the rest of the Islamic countries unreservedly support the Palestinian demands in their struggle against Zionist colonialism.
Therefore, it can be affirmed that all the political action of the government led by President Raisi highlighted the centrality of Palestine in the political discourse of the Islamic Republic and as a meeting point for the entire Islamic community. In this sense, Raisi's discourse on the importance of Palestine can be linked to the Ummatic vision expressed by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, who considers the Palestinian cause as the fundamental issue for the Ummah.
Finally, it is important to remember that according to Article 131 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic, in the event of the death of the president, his responsibilities shall be transferred to the First Vice President with the approval of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution. After 50 days, the country will hold elections and choose a new president.
This demonstrates that, although the death of Raisi and the rest of his companions is a tragedy for the country, the institutional architecture of the Islamic Republic is strong enough to absorb the impact and continue its political functions without considerable alterations.
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