YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Defence of the Republic of Armenia, Suren Papikyan, sent a message of condolence to the Minister of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics of Iran, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani, in connection with the death of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi, and his accompanying staff as a result of the helicopter crash.

The message reads as follows:

"I was deeply saddened to learn about the death of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and their accompanying officials.

As a close and friendly country to the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Armenia received the untimely tragic news of the deaths of President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and their accompanying officials with profound sadness.

We express our deepest condolences to the relatives and friends of the victims and wish strength and steadfastness to the pious Iranian people.

On behalf of the Ministry of Defence of Armenia and personally from me, please accept our words of consolation and unwavering support."

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the country's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and other officials died in the helicopter crash that occurred on Sunday. President Raisi was returning from a ceremony to inaugurate a dam on Iran’s border with the Republic of Azerbaijan, when his helicopter crashed upon landing in Varzaqan region on Sunday. No one has survived the crash.