President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed sadness at the passing of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and the personnel, who died when their helicopter crashed in East Azerbaijan.

The leaders were travelling back to Iran on Sunday.

“On behalf of the government and people of South Africa, Ramaphosa offered his deep condolences to the supreme leader of Iran, the grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei, and the government and people of the Islamic Republic,” said spokesperson to the President Vincent Magwenya.

He highlighted that Ramaphosa, who as Deputy President paid a working visit to Iran in November 2015, said this was an “extraordinary, unthinkable tragedy” that has claimed a remarkable leader of a nation with whom South Africa enjoys strong bilateral relations and which South Africa was honoured to welcome to the Brics fold in Johannesburg in 2023.

“Our hearts go out to the affected families and the administration of the Islamic Republic of Iran. We join Iran in this moment of mourning,” said Ramaphosa.