DUBAI, May 27. /TASS/. The flow of condolences over the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his associates in an air crash, as well as the presence of more than 60 foreign delegations at the farewell ceremony proves that Tehran has made serious progress in its foreign policy, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani has said.
"We have witnessed a major breakthrough in developing Iran's relations with other countries and the strengthening our country's position in the region and on the world scene. This is well seen in the large number of messages of condolences to the Iranian people over this depressing incident (the death of the Iranian president and his associates in an air crash - TASS) and the presence of high-ranking foreign delegations at the mourning ceremony," Kanaani told a news press conference broadcast by the IRIB TV channel.
The Iranian authorities, he said, have received more than 330 messages of condolences from different countries, as well as more than 27 messages from international organizations.
"The attendance of more than 60 high-level delegations represented at various levels <...> showed the international community's interest towards Iran's position in the region and the world," Kanaani added.
On May 21, a farewell ceremony was held for those who lost their lives in the May 19 crash of Raisi’s helicopter, which was also carrying the Islamic Republic's foreign minister, the governor of East Azerbaijan Province and the Friday Prayer Imam of Tabriz city. More than 50 foreign delegations took part in the ceremony, IRNA reported. The speaker of Russia’s State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukhry, the prime ministers of Armenia, Iraq and Pakistan Nikol Pashinyan, Mohammed al-Sudani and Shahbaz Sharif and Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani paid their last respects to Raisi. According to the State Duma’s press service, Volodin conveyed a message from Russian President Vladimir Putin to the leadership and people of Iran.