President Erdogan sends condolences over deaths of Iranian counterpart, FM

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has extended condolences to Tehran on the deaths of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his companions in a helicopter crash.

President Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, and their companions were declared dead earlier on Monday, after a helicopter crash.

"I extend my condolences to my dear counterpart, my brother, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi, who tragically lost his life in a helicopter crash," Erdogan said in X post shared on Monday.

Erdogan offered his deepest condolences to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the people and government of Iran, and the families of Raisi and the other victims.

"As a colleague who witnessed his efforts for the peace of the Iranian people and our region, I remember Mr. Raisi with respect and gratitude," he stated.

President Erdogan assured that Türkiye would stand by its neighbour Iran in these difficult times, just as it has done on numerous occasions before.

The crash has sent shockwaves through the region, with many mourning the loss of the Iranian leader and other officials on board.

Condolences from other Turkish officials

Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, in a joint press conference with his Pakistani counterpart in Islamabad, also expressed condolence on Monday, saying “Unfortunately, the news of the esteemed president and foreign minister’s passing away has saddened us deeply. We do share the deep pain of friendly and brotherly people of Iran.”

Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz also offered condolences to the Iranian people, saying “I wish God's mercy on Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and their companions, who lost their lives as a result of the helicopter crash.”

Communications Director Fahrettin Altun also wished God’s mercy upon Raisi, Amir-Abdollahian and others who lost their lives in the accident.

​​​​​​​“I offer my sympathies to the friendly and brotherly people of Iran and to the families of the deceased,” Altun said on X.

Türkiye's parliament speaker Numan Kurtulmus echoed the sentiments and extended his sympathies.​​​​​​​

Soon after the crash in northwestern Iran’s East Azerbaijan province on Sunday afternoon, Türkiye had mobilised all the possible equipment to assist in search and rescue operations.

Turkish Bayraktar Akinci unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) identified a source of heat early Monday suspected to be the wreckage of a helicopter carrying Iranian President Raisi and shared its coordinates with Iranian authorities, the Anadolu news agency has reported.

Following search and rescue works at the location, Iranian President, the country's foreign minister and others have been found dead, the Iranian state television said.

Raisi had been in Azerbaijan early Sunday to inaugurate a dam with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev. The dam is the third one that the two nations built on the Aras River.

The visit came despite chilly relations between the two nations, including over a gun attack on Azerbaijan's Embassy in Tehran in 2023, and Azerbaijan's diplomatic relations with Israel, which Iran's Shia theocracy views as its main enemy in the region.