Indian PM Modi condoles sudden death of Iranian President

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday condoled the demise of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in a fatal helicopter crash.

In a post on social media platform X, PM Modi acknowledges Raisi's contribution in strengthening India-Iran bilateral relationship.

The helicopter carrying Raeisi and his accompanying delegation crashed on Sunday in the Dizmar forest, nestled between the cities of Varzaqan and Jolfa in East Azarbaijan Province, state media reported today.

It said that others on board the chopper were the country's foreign minister, Amir-Abdollahian, East Azarbaijan Governor, Malek Rahmati, Friday Prayers leader of the city of Tabriz, Seyyed Mohammad Ali Al-e Hashem and a member of the president's bodyguard team Mahdi Mousavi. The helicopter's pilot, co-pilot and crew were also among others on board the chopper.

Nine people were on the helicopter that crashed in northwest Iran on Sunday.

Raeisi and his accompanying delegation were returning from a ceremony to inaugurate a dam on the Aras River with Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev.

Following the announcement of deaths of Raeisi and his team, the Iranian cabinet held an emergency session headed by Vice President Mohammad Mokhber, state media reported.

Raisi was heading to the city of Tabriz on Sunday afternoon when the chopper ran into heavy fog.

Meanwhile, another reporter said that "looking at the wreckage of the helicopter, the chances of anyone surviving in such an accident are quite slim. We see that the whole cabin of the helicopter is completely burned."

The publication said that Iranian authorities "are saying that some of the bodies were burned beyond recognition, and that they have not been able to identify who is who at the site."

Drone footage of the wreckage taken by the Red Crescent was carried on state media. It showed the crash site on a steep, wooded hillside, with little remaining of the helicopter beyond a blue and white tail, as per reports.

(ANI)