Saudi King Salman, Egypt's el Sisi, Syria's al-Assad condole Iran Prez Raisi's demise in chopper crash

Doha [Qatar], May 20 (ANI): Condolences from world leaders continue to pour in after Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian were killed in a tragic helicopter crash on Sunday in northwestern Iran.
Expressing his condolences on the demise of Iranian leaders, Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz said, 'May God have mercy on them'.
"As we send you and the brotherly people of the Islamic Republic of Iran our deepest and sincere condolences, let us ask God Almighty to cover them with His vast mercy and forgiveness, and to grant them peace," the Saudi Press Agency quoted his statement as saying, according to Al Jazeera.
"May his soul rest in peace. We belong to God and to Him we shall return."
Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, too, offered his condolences on the demise of Raisi, and Amirabdollahian, and other Iranian officials.
"The president of the Arab Republic of Egypt prays that the deceased Iranian president and the departed may rest in God Almighty's mercy, and grant their families patience and solace, expressing the solidarity of the Arab Republic of Egypt with the Iranian leadership and people in this terrible incident," a statement read, according to Al Jazeera.
Meanwhile, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad also sent a cable to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, expressing "deep regret and condolences" over the helicopter crash, according to state media.
"We will always remember his visit to Syria as an important milestone in this path, and all the visions and ideas that he presented to enrich relations with everything that benefits the Syrian and Iranian peoples," Al Assad said, according to Al Jazeera.
Earlier today, Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei announced five days of national mourning in Iran, according to Press TV.
Khamenei declared the same in a message on Monday, and stated that he received the "bitter news" of the death of his "companions with great sorrow."
"Dear Raeisi did not know fatigue," Ayatollah Khamenei said, adding that the Iranian nation lost a sincere and valuable servant in this tragic incident, according to Press TV.
According to Article 131 of the Constitution, Vice President Mohammad Mokhber assumes managing the executive branch, the Leader said.
Ayatollah Khamenei urged Mokhber to arrange to elect a new president within a maximum of 50 days in cooperation with the other two heads of the three branches of the government.
The Iranian president, foreign minister and their accompanying delegation lost their lives after the helicopter carrying them crashed in the northwestern province of East Azarbaijan due to harsh weather conditions on Sunday. Their bodies were found on Monday after an extensive night-long search operation.
Meanwhile, Ali Bagheri Kani is appointed as Iran's acting foreign minister, following the death of Hossein Amirabdollahian.
He has served as deputy foreign minister since September 2021.
Kani was deputy secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council between 2007 and 2013, according to Al Jazeera.
Iranian state media earlier today confirmed the deaths of 63-year-old Raisi, his foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and seven others in Sunday's helicopter crash in the mountainous region of the country's East Azerbaijan province.
Earlier today, Iranian state media IRNA shared drone footage shot by the Red Crescent showing the wreckage of the crashed helicopter.
News outlet Tasnim, which is affiliated with the country's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, reported that Raisi's funeral will be held tomorrow in Tabriz.
The helicopter carrying Raisi, Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian, and his accompanying delegation crashed a day ago in the Dizmar forest, nestled between the cities of Varzaqan and Jolfa in East Azerbaijan Province. (ANI)