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Iranian President Raisi's helicopter crash

Updated at:

Funeral ceremony for late Iranian President Raisi to be held in Tabriz on May 21

A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi crashed in Iran’s province of East Azerbaijan on May 19

DUBAI, May 20. /TASS/. A funeral ceremony for Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and other state officials, killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday, will be held on May 21 in the city of Tabriz, Iranian news agency Mehr reported on Monday citing a local official.

"The funeral ceremony for the president and his entourage will be held tomorrow in Tabriz," the official said adding that a forensic medical examination would be held before the funeral.

Earlier in the day, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared a five-day national mourning for Iranian President Raisi and his high-ranking accompanying Iranian officials killed in a helicopter crash.

"I announce five days of public mourning and express my condolences to the dear people of Iran," Tasnim news agency reported Khamenei as saying.

"In this bitter tragedy, the Iranian nation lost a warm-hearted, humble and valued servant," Iranian news agency Mehr quoted Khamenei as saying.

A helicopter carrying Raisi crashed in Iran’s province of East Azerbaijan on May 19. Also on board were Iran’s top diplomat, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Governor of East Azerbaijan Malek Rahmati and Tabriz Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Al-e-Hashem.

Head of the Red Crescent Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran Pir Hossein Kolivand pronounced all passengers and the crew of Raisi’s helicopter dead. Iranian Vice President for Executive Affairs Mohsen Mansouri confirmed reports that the Iranian leader died in the crash.

As the state TV channel IRIB indicated, in accordance with the Iranian Constitution, Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber will become interim president of the Islamic republic until the elections, which must be held within 50 days.

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