MOSCOW, May 21. /TASS/. Russia is ready to help Iran investigate the helicopter crash that killed President Ebrahim Raisi and several more high-ranking officials, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

"If our colleagues need this, we are ready to do our best to offer them expert support and assistance to identify the causes of this catastrophe," he said at a meeting with speaker of the Russian State Duma, or lower house of parliament, ahead of his visit to Iran to attend the funeral ceremony.

The Russian leader described Raisi’s death as a big loss. "Indeed, President Raisi’s death is a big loss, first of all, for Iran and the Iranian people," he said at a meeting with speaker of the Russian State Duma, or lower house of parliament, ahead of his visit to Iran to attend the funeral ceremony. The president asked him to convey "his words of sincere condolences over this tragedy."

"Indeed, he was a reliable partner, a self-confident man who was always been guided by his country’s national interests. Of course, he was a man of his word and it was a pleasure to work with him - I mean that if we agreed on anything, once could always be sure that the agreements would be implemented," Putin stressed.

Putin pledged that Moscow is ready to continue cooperation with Iran as the two countries cooperated under Raisi. "On our part, we will do our best to continue Russian-Iranian relations in this manner," he said.

"Please, convey these words to the Iranian leadership," he asked Volodin.

Putin and Raisi

Putin’s latest personal meeting with Raisi took place in Moscow on December 7, 2023. In November 2023, they took part in an online BRICS summit. Prior to that, they met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Samarkand in September 2022. Back then, the two presidents noted that cooperation between their countries was actively developing in all spheres and their positions on many international matters were either close or identical.

This year, they had two phone calls, with the latest one being held on April 16.

In all, the two leaders had five meetings in person, including on the sidelines of international events, and about 15 phone calls since the summer of 2021, when Raisi took office.

Raisi’s helicopter crashed in Iran’s province of East Azerbaijan on May 19. Iran’s top diplomat Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Governor of East Azerbaijan Malek Rahmati, Tabriz's Friday Prayer Imam Seyyed Mohammad-Ali Al-Hashem, and the chief of presidential bodyguards were also on board. The five passengers and three crew died.

A panel of inquiry has been set up to probe into the causes of the disaster. First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber became Iran’s acting president. An early presidential election is scheduled for June 28.