ISLAMABAD:Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will visit Iran on Wednesday to offer condolences following the tragic helicopter crash that claimed the lives of President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian last week.
According to a statement from the Foreign Office, the prime minister will be accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and other senior cabinet ministers.
During his visit, PM Shehbaz will meet with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and interim President Mohammad Mokhber to convey condolences on behalf of the people and Government of Pakistan.
The visit follows the death of Raisi and other senior officials, who were returning from a dam inauguration near Iran’s border with the Republic of Azerbaijan when their helicopter crashed in poor weather in the mountains of East Azerbaijan province.
The charred wreckage of the helicopter, carrying Raisi, Amirabdollahian, and six others, was discovered early Monday after an overnight search in blizzard conditions.
In response to the incident, Khamenei declared a five-day mourning period and appointed Mokhber as interim president, instructing him to ensure the election of a new president within 50 days, as mandated by the constitution.
An investigation into the crash was initiated by the Iranian Armed Forces, with Major General Mohammad Bagheri forming a committee to probe the incident. The findings of the investigation will be made public.
Meanwhile, Iranian authorities held the funeral procession for President Raisi on Tuesday.
