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Iranian President Raisi's helicopter crash

Talks on lifting Iranian sanctions continue after president Raisi’s death — ministry

Nuclear activities continue under the control of the country’s Supreme National Security Council, Ali Bagheri Kani said

DUBAI, May 29. /TASS/. The helicopter crash that claimed the lives of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian could not stop talks on lifting sanctions from Tehran, and negotiations continue, Iranian Acting Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani said in a statement.

"The exchange of messages did not halt and continues to date," the IRNA news agency quoted the diplomat as saying.

He added that the Islamic Republic's "nuclear activities continue under the control of [the country’s] Supreme National Security Council."

Bagheri Kani also announced a number of upcoming visits to Middle Eastern countries for talks on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Iran is holding indirect negotiations with the United States representatives in Oman, Iran's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Amir Saeid Iravani, confirmed just one day before the fatal crash. Iravani said that the talks were "an ongoing process." Axios reported citing sources that two top Biden administration officials held indirect talks with Iranian officials in Oman this week to discuss Washington’s concern about Iranian nuclear program and the latest escalation in the Middle East.

On May 19, a helicopter with the country's president on board crashed in the East Azerbaijan province in northern Iran. Abdollahian and a number of state officials were also on board with Raisi. All passengers and crew members on the aircraft, a total of eight people, were killed. Iran's snap presidential election is scheduled for June 28.

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