Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan sent a message of condolence to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Seyyed Ali Khamenei in connection with the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Minister of Foreign Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in a helicopter crash on Sunday, May 19. “I am shocked by the death of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran and his accompanying staff as a result of the helicopter crash,” Pashinyan said. “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. “I express my solidarity with the government and people of the Islamic Republic of Iran, wishing strength and steadfastness at this difficult time. “The Republic of Armenia and its people stand by our good friend and neighboring state and people in this difficult period for the Islamic Republic of Iran”. Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash near Iran’s border with Azerbaijan. Search and rescue teams have recovered bodies from the wreckage, and said there were no survivors. Contact had been lost with the aircraft on Sunday as it navigated fog-covered mountains in north-west Iran, The Guardian reported. Amir-abdollahian was also among those killed too. The governor of Iran’s East Azerbaijan province and other officials and bodyguards were also named by local media as among the dead. A total of nine people were on board the aircraft, according to Tasnim news agency. Iran’s vice-president, Mohammad Mokhber is expected to become the country’s interim president who will help organise a presidential election that should take place within 50 days of the president’s death.