Loss of Raisi, FM truly tragic: COAS

Gen Munir speaks with Iranian counterpart; prays for departed souls

RAWALPINDI:

Chief of Army Staff Gen Syed Asim Munir on Sunday spoke with Chief of General Staff of Iranian Armed Forces Maj Gen Mohammad Bagheri on the phone and extended his deep condolences over the demise of President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and other important officials in a helicopter crash on May 19, the military’s media wing said in a statement.

Raisi, along with the foreign minister, East Azerbaijan Province Governor Malek Rahmati, head of the president’s bodyguard team Mehdi Mousavi, and Iranian Supreme Leader’s representative in the province Mohammad Ali Al-e-Hashem, died in a helicopter crash in northern Azerbaijan.

Read Iran holds funeral procession for late president Raisi after crash death

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the army chief in his conversation with his Iranian counterpart said Raisi and Amirabdollahian were exceptional leaders as well as true friends of Pakistan.

He highlighted that the loss of both the leaders and others was a truly tragic and irreparable loss.
Gen Munir, on behalf of all ranks of the Pakistan Army, extended prayers for the departed souls and sympathies for the bereaved families.

The army chief said Pakistan had historic cultural and brotherly ties with Iran. “The armed forces of Pakistan and Iran have always stood together.”

Gen Bagheri thanked the army chief for sharing his grief and vowed to continue the cooperation between the two militaries.

Earlier, the Pakistani government had expressed its condolences to the top Iran authorities and people over the tragic loss of life in the helicopter crash.