The deaths were announced early in the morning after Iranian authorities found in mountainous terrain near Iran’s border with Azerbaijan the wreckage of the helicopter that carried Raisi, Amir-Abdollahian and six other passengers and crew.
In a message to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said he is “shocked” by the deadly crash.
“On behalf of the government and the people of the Republic of Armenia, I convey to you my sincere condolences and words of consolation on the tragic death of my dear friend and colleague President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and their accompanying persons,” Pashinian said. “I express my solidarity with the government and people of the Islamic Republic of Iran, wishing strength and steadfastness at this difficult time.”
Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan reacted to the “devastating news from Iran” on X the social media platform. He offered his “deepest condolences” to the government and “friendly people” of Iran.”
Underlining the cordial relations between the two neighboring states, Armenian opposition leaders issued similar statements.
“This is not only Iran's pain, this is a tragedy in the home of a good neighbor, and threats caused by this situation face not only Iran,” Tigran Abrahamian, a senior lawmaker from the opposition Pativ Unem bloc, wrote on Facebook.
“At this difficult moment, all our thoughts and prayers are with the friendly state and brotherly people of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” read a statement released by an antigovernment protest movement lead by Armenian Archbishop Bagrat Galstanian.
Galstanian expressed hope that Raisi and the other Iranian officials will survive the crash when their whereabouts where still unknown late on Sunday.
“Iran is a friendly country for us and stability in our region, to which Iran is one of the maintainers, it is very important at this juncture,” he said.