President Cyril Ramaphosa has sent his condolences to the people of Iran following the death of their President, Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter accident at the weekend.
Ramaphosa said he is deeply saddened by the incident that has claimed the lives of the Iranian president as well as the country’s foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and personnel.
Raisi and Amir-Abdollahian died on Sunday following a helicopter crash in East Azerbaijan while on their way back to Iran.
“On behalf of the government and people of South Africa, President Ramaphosa offers his deep condolences to the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei, and the government and people of the Islamic Republic,” Ramaphosa’s office said on Monday.
Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said Cyril Ramaphosa’s thoughts are with the families of the late president and foreign minister as well as the relatives of the personnel and air crew who perished.
Ramaphosa, who as deputy president paid a working visit to Iran in November, 2015, said Raisi was a remarkable and well-respected statesman.
“This is an extraordinary, unthinkable tragedy that has claimed a remarkable leader of a nation with whom South Africa enjoys strong bilateral relations and whom we were honoured to welcome to the BRICS fold in Johannesburg in 2023.
“Our hearts go out to the affected families and the administration of the Islamic Republic of Iran. “We join Iran in this moment of mourning,” Ramaphosa said in a statement.
Meanwhile, CNN reports that the Iran’s Guardian Council – a powerful 12-member council in charge of overseeing elections and legislation – has described Raisi’s death as “a great loss for the Iranian nation”.
Spokesperson Hadi Tahan Nazif said the country’s constitution will guide the nation through this difficult time.
“Just as the leader of the Islamic Republic stated, the affairs of the country will not be disrupted,” Nazif told Iranian state news agency, Press TV.
According to media reports, the Iranian constitution stipulates that the three heads of the branches of government, including the vice-president, speaker of the parliament, and head of the judiciary must ensure that a new leader is elected within 50 days of assuming the role of acting president.
The Star