Nasrallah offers condolences over martyrdom of President Raeisi, companions

Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah offered his condolences in a message addressed to Ayatollah Khamenei on Monday.

A day earlier, the helicopter carrying Raeisi and his entourage, which included Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, crashed in a mountainous area as it was on its way to Tabriz, the capital of the northwestern Iranian province of East Azerbaijan.

Nasrallah’s message referred to Raeisi as “the fighter and devoted President of the Islamic Republic,” and the late top diplomat as “the bearer of the banner of the defense of the resistance in all international forums.”

“We share with you all the feelings and meanings of the loss of these honorable leaders at this sensitive stage, as you lead the Islamic nation in its bitter struggle against the forces of arrogance and hegemony and the American and Zionist occupation of our sanctities, lands, and peoples,” the Hezbollah leader wrote.

“We find consolation and hope in your blessed presence and your wise, guided, and courageous leadership,” he added.

“I ask Allah Almighty to prolong your noble life and to help your pure heart endure the pain of losing these loyal and sincere leaders,” the message read.

More than 50 heads of state and international organizations have condoled with the Islamic Republic over the tragic incident.

Also on Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin identified Raeisi as a “true friend” of his country.

Putin’s Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan relayed a similar message, in which he said, "I remember my brother Ebrahim Raeisi with respect," and emphasized that Ankara stood by Tehran in this difficult and tragic situation.