News - Middle East: Leader of the Islamic Revolution [in Iran] Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has extended his condolences to the Iranian nation over the martyrdom of President Ebrahim Raeisi and his companions in a helicopter crash.

In a message on Monday, the Leader announced five days of national mourning.

Ayatollah Khamenei said the Iranian nation lost a sincere and valuable servant in the tragic incident.

Ayatollah Khamenei said he received the bitter news of the “martyrdom-like” passing of the popular, competent and hardworking president and his companions with great sorrow.

The Leader added that the tragic incident happened when Raeisi and his team were making an attempt to serve the Iranian people.

The entire period of responsibility of this noble and devoted man, both during the short term of the presidency and before that, was completely spent in non-stop efforts to serve the people, the country and Islam, he emphasized.

“Dear Raeisi did not know fatigue,” Ayatollah Khamenei said, adding that the Iranian nation lost a sincere and valuable servant in this tragic incident.

He also noted that President Raeisi preferred the satisfaction of people, which amounts to God’s satisfaction, over everything else.

Therefore, ingratitude and jibes of some ill-wishers did not deter him from working day and night to achieve progress and improve the situation, Ayatollah Khamenei said.

The Leader lamented that prominent figures including Friday Prayers leader of the city of Tabriz Mohammad Ali Al-e Hashem, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and East Azarbaijan Governor Malek Rahmati as well as the pilots and the crew also lost their lives in the tragic incident.

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 a massive night-long search operation.

Source: Press TV