Tehran [Iran], May 21: Following the tragic demise of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash on Sunday afternoon, heads of the three branches of the Iranian government have agreed on a date, June 28 for snap presidential elections in the country, Press TV reported.
According to Press TV, the meeting which was held on Monday witnessed the presence of the Iranian deputy president for legal affairs Mohammad Dehghan, deputy chairman of the Guardian Council Siamak Rahpeykand, and deputy interior minister for political affairs Mohammad Taghi Shahcheraghi.
A timetable was set for the elections, allowing hopefuls to register from May 30 to June 3, with candidates launching their campaigns for 15 days starting June 12.
The helicopter carrying Raisi and his entourage crashed around afternoon on Sunday as it was on its way to Tabriz, the capital of East Azerbaijan, from a location on the border with the Republic of Azerbaijan where the Iranian president had opened a major dam project.
Rescuers found the wreckage of the helicopter early on Monday after hours of extensive search, which involved more than 70 teams.
Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and two senior provincial officials along with crew members and bodyguards also died as a result of the crash.
Following this, country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, has announced five days of national mourning in Iran, according to Press TV.
Khamenei declared the same in a message on Monday, and stated that he received the “bitter news” of the death of his “companions with great sorrow.”
“Dear Raeisi did not know fatigue,” Ayatollah Khamenei said, adding that the Iranian nation lost a sincere and valuable servant in this tragic incident, according to Press TV.
