ISTANBUL

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday spoke over the phone with Iran’s interim President Mohammad Mokhber and extended condolences over the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdullahian.

“During the call, President Erdogan expressed his sadness for the loss of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, along with the accompanying delegation in a tragic helicopter crash, and conveyed his condolences and wishes of patience,” Türkiye’s Communications Directorate said on X.

“Noting that Türkiye stands by Iran in these bitter days and shares the grief of the Iranian people, President Erdogan stated that Türkiye will continue to fulfill the duty of neighborship and brotherhood towards Iran in the forthcoming period,” the directorate added.

Raisi and Amir-Abdollahian’s contributions to relations between the two countries would always be remembered, the Turkish president said.

After a night-long search operation hampered by bad weather, Raisi, Amir-Abdollahian and other top officials have been declared dead.

Dozens of emergency rescue teams had been dispatched to the mountainous area in northwestern Iran’s East Azerbaijan province, where the incident took place on Sunday afternoon.

According to the Iranian Constitution, the first vice president – Mohammad Mokhber – will assume powers of the presidency and elections be held within 50 days.