UN chief Guterres "saddened" on demise of Iran President Ebrahim Raisi in chopper crash

New York [US], May 20 (ANI): United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condoled the demise of Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash that occurred in northwestern Iran on Sunday afternoon.
Saddened by the death of Raisi in the chopper crash, that also killed Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the UN Chief paid his "sincere condolences" to people of Iran.
"The Secretary-General expresses his sincere condolences to the families of the deceased and to the government and people of the Islamic Republic of Iran," Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, said in a statement, according to Al Jazeera.
The Iranian President, along with several other key leaders, was returning from a visit to Azerbaijan when his helicopter crashed in Tabriz city of Iran.
India has declared one day of state mourning on Tuesday (May 21) throughout the country as a mark of respect to the departed dignitaries. The Ministry of Home Affairs said that the national flag will be flown at half-mast throughout the country on all buildings where it is flown regularly and there will be no official entertainment on the day.
Meanwhile, European Union's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, Josep Borrell, also extended his condolences on the death of Raisi, Amirabdollahian and the other Iranian officials who met a tragic fate following a helicopter crash on Sunday afternoon.
"The EU expresses its sympathies to the families of all the victims and to the Iranian citizens affected," he said in a statement.
In the latest development, the military chief of Iran, Mohammad Bagheri, has ordered a probe into the cause of the helicopter crash, reported Al Jazeera, citing country's ISNA news agency.
Bagheri has ordered "a high-ranking committee to launch an investigation into the cause of the president's helicopter crash", the report stated.
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.
Meanwhile, Ali Bagheri Kani is appointed as Iran's acting foreign minister, following the death of Hossein Amirabdollahian.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry, following the approval of Kani by Supreme leader Khamenei, also announced in a post on X saying, "In the wake of the martyrdom of energetic FM of the IR of Iran Amirabdollahian in a helicopter crash carrying the president & his entourage, the cabinet appointed Ali Bagheri as Acting Foreign Minister."
He has served as deputy foreign minister for Iran since September 2021. (ANI)