In a message sent to the supreme leader of Iran, Ali Hosseini Khamenei, João Lourenço highlights that, in the "unfortunate event", which creates "a void", "other important Iranian figures" died.
"In light of this unfortunate event, I want, on behalf of the Angolan executive and myself, to present to Your Excellency and the Iranian people our deepest condolences for the physical passing of this illustrious personality and his companions in misfortune, aware of the void they will leave in the your country, to which you dedicated a large part of your lives, in defense of the noblest values of Iranian culture and those of Iran's affirmation in the concert of nations as a prosperous and sovereign nation", highlights João Lourenço.
The President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, also expressed condolences on the death of a "remarkable leader" from a country with which Pretoria enjoys strong bilateral relations, the Presidency of the South African Republic announced today.
"This is an unthinkable tragedy that has claimed the lives of a remarkable leader of a nation with which South Africa enjoys strong bilateral relations and which we were honored to welcome into the BRICS [Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa] group in Johannesburg, in 2023", lamented the South African head of state in a message sent to the Islamic Republic of Iran.
In Nairobi, Kenyan President William Ruto expressed his "deepest condolences to the people of Iran" following the deaths of Ebrahim Raisi, who he described as a "fearless leader", and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir -Abdollahian.
"President Raisi was a fearless leader and a dedicated public servant with a long and distinguished career in public service. He was a firm leader committed to the causes he believed in and sought to elevate Iran's position on the world stage," Ruto said on social media social.
In the message, Ruto recalled Raisi's visit to Kenya on 12 July 2023, in what was the first trip by an Iranian President to Africa in eleven years.
Other African leaders also lamented the deaths of Ebrahim Raisi and Hossein Amir-Aabdollahian, such as the president of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, who expressed "shock and deep sadness" at the news.
In a statement released in Addis Ababa, Faki Mahamat "extends sincere condolences, sympathy and solidarity" to Ali Khamenei, the Iranian Government and the Iranian people "during this period of deep pain and loss".
The Presidents of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, the Comoros, Azali Assoumani, the Gambia, Adama Barrow, and Madagascar, Andry Rajoelina, and the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed, issued similar messages of condolence.
This Monday, Iranian rescue teams recovered the remains of Ebrahim Raisi and the other eight passengers who were on the helicopter that crashed on Sunday in northwestern Iran, the Red Crescent humanitarian organization announced.
The helicopter that was also carrying the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, crashed in the area of Kalibar and Warzghan, in the province of East Azerbaijan, in the northwest of the country.
A few hours earlier, the Iranian Government confirmed Raisi's death, adding that the disaster will not cause "any disturbance in the administration" of the country.
