Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei announced on Monday, May 20, five days of mourning for President Ebrahim Raisi who died in a helicopter crash.

“I announce five days of public mourning and offer my condolences to the dear people of Iran,” said Khamenei in an official statement a day after the death of Raisi and other officials in the helicopter crash in East Azerbaijan province.

CEOAFRICA recalled that President Raisi died on Monday after his helicopter crashed in a mountainous region of the country.

Rescue teams had been scouring the area since Sunday afternoon after the helicopter carrying Raisi had gone missing on its radar.

He was travelling with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian who also died in the accident, and some body guards.