Mikati declares mourning for Raisi; Lebanese parties respond

On Monday, Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati declared three days of national mourning following the deaths of Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and several officials in a helicopter crash.

Mikati’s memo stated that flags would be flown at half-mast across all public administrations and institutions, and radio and TV programming would be adjusted accordingly.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri sent a message of condolence to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, noting that Iran, Lebanon, and the Islamic world have lost several pioneering leaders.

Suleiman Franjieh, head of the Marada Movement, called the incident a major tragedy that has impacted Iran and the world, extending his condolences to the Iranian leadership, government, and people.

Lebanon’s Jamaa Islamiya group also expressed their condolences over the deaths of the Iranian officials, lamenting the tragic incident and hoping Iran will overcome this adversity.