Ebrahim Raisi: Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Announces 5-Day Mourning Period For Late President

• Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei described the late Ebrahim Raisi as a hardworking and dedicated people's president
• Raisi died in a plane crash with Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian and Tabriz Friday Prayer Leader Hujjat al-Islam Ale-Hashem, among others
• Ayatollah stated that the former president faced challenges due to ungratefulness from some citizens he diligently served

Nancy Odindo, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics, news, and feature stories across digital and print media in Kenya.

Iran - Global leaders have continued to send messages of condolences to the Iranians following the demise of President Ebrahim Raisi.

Raisi and his entourage, including Tabriz Friday Prayer Leader Hujjat al-Islam Ale-Hashem and Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian, died on Sunday, May 19, when their helicopter crash-landed near Jolfa in East Azerbaijan.

How Iran's supreme leader mourned President Ebrahim Raisi

The Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei expressed his deepest condolences, describing the fallen leader as a hardworking and competent people's president.

"With deep sorrow and regret, I have received the bitter news of the martyrdom of the people’s President, the competent, hard-working Haj Sayyid Ebrahim Raisi, and his esteemed entourage," he said.

Additionally, he revealed that Raisi faced numerous challenges during his time due to ungratefulness and mocking from ill-intentioned individuals.

"For him, the well-being and satisfaction of the people, which was a sign of God’s satisfaction, took precedence over everything else, and the hurt he suffered due to the ingratitude and taunts of some ill-wishers didn’t deter him from his continuous efforts for progress and improvement," he added.

Ayatollah declares 5-day mourning for Raisi

Following the tragic news, Ayatollah declared five days of mourning for the president, who died while on a mission to serve the people of Iran.

"I hereby declare five days of public mourning and offer my condolences to the dear Iranian nation," he announced.

Ayatollah appoints Mohammad Mokhber as interim president

Due to the sudden death that sent shockwaves across the country, the leader confirmed the first vice president Mohammad Mokhber to lead the executive in an acting capacity.

Mukhber will also join a council of the legislative and judiciary council to organise for the election of a new president in a maximum period of 50 days.

This is according to the constitution of the Islamic Republic when a sitting president dies or is incapacitated.

What else you need to know about Ebrahim Raisi's death

• President William Ruto has joined global leaders in mourning the death of Iran's head of state Ebrahim Raisi
• An emotional video of rescuers collecting the bodies of the late president and his entourage surfaced
• Raisi's role as deputy prosecutor of the Revolutionary Court in 1988 led to the deaths of over 5,000 Marxists and leftists

Proofreading by Otukho Jackson, a multimedia journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke