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Iranian President Raisi's helicopter crash

State Duma speaker to represent Russia at farewell ceremony for late Iranian president

Ebrahim Raisi will be buried in his birthplace, Mashhad, northeastern Iran, on May 23

Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin Vladimir Gerdo/TASS

Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin

© Vladimir Gerdo/TASS

MOSCOW, May 21. /TASS/. State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin will represent Russia at the farewell ceremony for Iran’s late President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in an air crash, a source in the staff of the lower house of parliament has told TASS.

"State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin will represent Russia at the farewell ceremony for Iranian President Raisi," the source said.

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FACTBOX: Iran confirms death of President Raisi in helicopter crash

Raisi will be buried in his birthplace, Mashhad, northeastern Iran, on May 23.

His 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 Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Al-e-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.

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