World Leaders Express Condolences to Iran over President's Death

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi waves upon his arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 24 April 2024 (reissued 20 May 2024). EPA/CHAMILA KARUNARATHNE
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi waves upon his arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 24 April 2024 (reissued 20 May 2024). EPA/CHAMILA KARUNARATHNE
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World Leaders Express Condolences to Iran over President's Death

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi waves upon his arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 24 April 2024 (reissued 20 May 2024). EPA/CHAMILA KARUNARATHNE
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi waves upon his arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 24 April 2024 (reissued 20 May 2024). EPA/CHAMILA KARUNARATHNE

World leaders on Monday reacted to the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi who was killed in a helicopter crash in mountainous terrain near Azerbaijan border.
Raisi, a hardliner long seen as a potential successor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and the country’s foreign minister and others have been found dead at the site of a helicopter crash Monday after an hourslong search through a foggy, mountainous region of the country’s northwest, state media reported. Raisi was 63.
Several world leaders reacted to his death, the following are reactions to the news:
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on X platform: "Deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic demise of Dr. Seyed Ebrahim Raisi, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. His contribution to strengthening India-Iran bilateral relationship will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to his family and the people of Iran. India stands with Iran in this time of sorrow."
Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said: "From the first moment we heard of the accident, we have been in contact with the Iranian authorities and mobilized all means to assist (rescue) efforts. Relevant institutions including our Defense Ministry and AFAD disaster authority did their best but unfortunately we weren't able to hear good news," Fidan told a joint news conference on Monday with his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar in Islamabad.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan expressed his condolences saying Raisi was a "valuable colleague and brother".
"As a colleague who personally witnessed his efforts for the peace of the Iranian people and our region during his time in power, I remember Mr. Raisi with respect and gratitude," Erdogan said on social media platform X, adding Türkiye stood by Iran in this difficult time.
Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari in a statement also expressed shock and sorrow over Raisi's death. He extended his condolences to the bereaved families of the Iranian president, the foreign minister and others who died in the accident.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced a day of mourning over the death of Raisi.
“I along with the government and people of Pakistan, extend our deepest condolences and sympathies to the Iranian nation on this terrible loss. May the martyred souls rest in heavenly peace. The great Iranian nation will overcome this tragedy with customary courage,” Sharif wrote on the social platform X on Monday.
Sharif recently hosted Raisi and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian when they visited Pakistan and said: “They were good friends of Pakistan."
The Chinese foreign ministry said that President Xi Jinping has expressed condolences over Raisi's death.
Charles Michel, President of the European Council, said on X: “The European Union expresses its sincere condolences for the death of President Raisi and Foreign Minister Abdollahian, as well as other members of their delegation and crew in a helicopter accident. Our thoughts go to the families."
Russian foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in a statement that Raisi and Abdollahian were known as "true, reliable friends of our country".
"Their role in strengthening mutually beneficial Russian-Iranian cooperation and trusting partnership is invaluable.
"We sincerely extend our condolences to the families and friends of the victims, as well as to the entire friendly people of Iran. Our thoughts and hearts are with you in this sad hour."
Japan’s government spokesperson, Yoshimasa Hayashi said that Japan expresses its deepest condolences to the government and people of Iran over the death of President Raisi and the foreign minister.



Bangladesh Protest Leaders Taken from Hospital by Police

People take part in a song march to protest against the indiscriminate killings and mass arrest in Dhaka on July 26, 2024. (AFP)
People take part in a song march to protest against the indiscriminate killings and mass arrest in Dhaka on July 26, 2024. (AFP)
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Bangladesh Protest Leaders Taken from Hospital by Police

People take part in a song march to protest against the indiscriminate killings and mass arrest in Dhaka on July 26, 2024. (AFP)
People take part in a song march to protest against the indiscriminate killings and mass arrest in Dhaka on July 26, 2024. (AFP)

Bangladeshi police detectives on Friday forced the discharge from hospital of three student protest leaders blamed for deadly unrest, taking them to an unknown location, staff told AFP.

Nahid Islam, Asif Mahmud and Abu Baker Majumder are all members of Students Against Discrimination, the group responsible for organizing this month's street rallies against civil service hiring rules.

At least 195 people were killed in the ensuing police crackdown and clashes, according to an AFP count of victims reported by police and hospitals, in some of the worst unrest of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's tenure.

All three were patients at a hospital in the capital Dhaka, and at least two of them said their injuries were caused by torture in earlier police custody.

"They took them from us," Gonoshasthaya hospital supervisor Anwara Begum Lucky told AFP. "The men were from the Detective Branch."

She added that she had not wanted to discharge the student leaders but police had pressured the hospital chief to do so.

Islam's elder sister Fatema Tasnim told AFP from the hospital that six plainclothes detectives had taken all three men.

The trio's student group had suspended fresh protests at the start of this week, saying they had wanted the reform of government job quotas but not "at the expense of so much blood".

The pause was due to expire earlier on Friday but the group had given no indication of its future course of action.

Islam, 26, the chief coordinator of Students Against Discrimination, told AFP from his hospital bed on Monday that he feared for his life.

He said that two days beforehand, a group of people identifying themselves as police detectives blindfolded and handcuffed him and took him to an unknown location.

Islam added that he had come to his senses the following morning on a roadside in Dhaka.

Mahmud earlier told AFP that he had also been detained by police and beaten at the height of last week's unrest.

Three senior police officers in Dhaka all denied that the trio had been taken from the hospital and into custody on Friday.

- Garment tycoon arrested -

Police told AFP on Thursday that they had arrested at least 4,000 people since the unrest began last week, including 2,500 in Dhaka.

On Friday police said they had arrested David Hasanat, the founder and chief executive of one of Bangladesh's biggest garment factory enterprises.

His Viyellatex Group employs more than 15,000 people according to its website, and its annual turnover was estimated at $400 million by the Daily Star newspaper last year.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police inspector Abu Sayed Miah said Hasanat and several others were suspected of financing the "anarchy, arson and vandalism" of last week.

Bangladesh makes around $50 billion in annual export earnings from the textile trade, which services leading global brands including H&M, Gap and others.

Student protests began this month after the reintroduction in June of a scheme reserving more than half of government jobs for certain candidates.

With around 18 million young people in Bangladesh out of work, according to government figures, the move deeply upset graduates facing an acute jobs crisis.

Critics say the quota is used to stack public jobs with loyalists to Hasina's Awami League.

- 'Call to the nation' -

The Supreme Court cut the number of reserved jobs on Sunday but fell short of protesters' demands to scrap the quotas entirely.

Hasina has ruled Bangladesh since 2009 and won her fourth consecutive election in January after a vote without genuine opposition.

Her government is also accused by rights groups of misusing state institutions to entrench its hold on power and stamp out dissent, including the extrajudicial killing of opposition activists.

Hasina continued a tour of government buildings that had been ransacked by protesters, on Friday visiting state broadcaster Bangladesh Television, which was partly set ablaze last week.

"Find those who were involved in this," she said, according to state news agency BSS.

"Cooperate with us to ensure their punishment. I am making this call to the nation."