The Government of Sri Lanka has declared tomorrow (21 May) as a day of mourning in view of the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.

Accordingly, the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government Mr. Pradeep Yasaratne has informed that the National Flag be placed half-mast at all state institutions on Tuesday (21). 

Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian were killed in a helicopter crash in the northwestern province of East Azarbaijan.

The helicopter carrying President Raeisi and his accompanying delegation crashed on Sunday in the Dizmar forest, nestled between the cities of Varzaqan and Jolfa in East Azarbaijan Province.

President Raeisi and his accompanying delegation were returning from a ceremony to inaugurate a dam on the Aras River with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev.

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Monday expressed condolences following the demise of Iranian President Dr. Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

Sri Lanka is deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic death of President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian and other senior Iranian officials, said the Head of State, who is currently on a visit to Indonesia. 

“I express my deepest sympathies and sincere condolences to the bereaved families, the government and the people of Iran.” 

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of President Raisi and his entourage,” he said, in a post on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter).

Accompanied by Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian, President Raisi had engaged in a short visit to the island nation just last month, the first by an Iranian president in 16 years. It was his last foreign visit.