The UN Security Council observed a minute of silence to honor the late President of Iran Ebrahim Raisi, as stated by Mozambique’s ambassador to the UN Pedro Comissario Afonso, who heads the council this month.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi alongside Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and accompanying officials passed away in a tragic helicopter crash on Sunday.
The members of the UN Security Council rose around the table and remained silent for one minute.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi alongside Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and accompanying officials have passed away in the tragic helicopter crash in Iran’s East Azerbaijan Province, according to an official statement by Iranian state media.
After locating the helicopter carrying the Iranian President and accompanying officials on Monday morning, Iran’s Red Crescent Society (IRCS) issued a preliminary statement noting that there was “no sign of life” found near the wreckage locations.
This announcement comes over 16 hours after the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps reported they had lost contact with the helicopter carrying the officials. Since then, at least 73 rapid response and rescue teams from the provinces of East Azarbaijan, Tehran, Alborz, Ardabil, Zanjan, and West Azarbaijan were involved in the search and rescue operations led by the Iranian RCS.
Additionally, countries such as Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Russia participated in the search and rescue efforts in the province.
According to a report, in a brief statement delivered by the State Department’s spokesman Matthew Miller Monday afternoon, the US government expressed “official condolences” for Raisi’s death alongside his foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.
The UK’s deputy ambassador to the UN, James Kuriuki, was among those who stood at the request of Russia, China and Algeria for a moment of silence the following day.
President Vladimir Putin has called Raisi a “true friend of Russia” and a “wonderful person”, while declaring his death a “true tragedy”.
Similarly, China’s leader Xi Jinping said the “Chinese have lost a good friend”
As the chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee, Tory MP Alicia Kearns, said: “The UK recognises states, not individual governments, and as such as the minute’s silence as in respect of the country and the rank of the individual.
Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, wrote on X that the moment of silence a “disgrace”.
