ASTANA, May 21. /TASS/. Member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs have expressed confidence that the continuity of Tehran’s foreign policy will be preserved, including with regard to the SCO, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters following the meeting.

"[The participants of the SCO Foreign Ministers Council] expressed confidence that the continuity of Iran’s foreign policy will be retained, including with regard to active participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization," Lavrov said.

He noted that during the meeting, the participants expressed the sincerest condolences and solidarity with the Iranian people.

On May 19, a helicopter carrying Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi crashed in Iran's East Azerbaijan Province. Among those on board were Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, Governor of East Azerbaijan Province Malek Rahmati, and Mohammad Ali Ale-Hashem, imam of Friday Prayer in Tabriz. A commission was created to investigate the causes of the catastrophe. Vice President Mohsen Mansouri became Iran’s interim president. The election has been slated for June 28.