Iran to continue policy of strengthening ties with neighbors

Iran's acting Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani says that Tehran would continue the policy of strengthening relations with neighboring countries.

The top Iranian diplomat took to X social media platform to refer to his meeting with Foreign Minister of the Sultanate of Oman Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, Mehr news agency reports.

The Omani foreign minister paid a visit to Iran's capital city of Tehran on Monday to offer condolences over the tragic martyrdom of the late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and the country's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

"I met and held talks with Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister of the Sultanate of Oman, who traveled to Tehran to express his condolences over the martyrdom of our country's president and foreign minister."

"We received the message of friendship, brotherhood, and good neighborliness from the high-ranking officials of the Sultanate of Oman."

"The policy of strengthening and deepening relations with neighbors will continue."

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian were martyred in a helicopter crash in the north-western province of East Azerbaijan.

The helicopter carrying President Raisi and his accompanying delegation crashed on Sunday in the Dizmar forest, nestled between the cities of Varzaqan and Jolfa in East Azerbaijan Province.

It was transporting Raisi, Amir-Abdollahian, East Azerbaijan Governor Malek Rahmati, Friday Prayers leader of the city of Tabriz Seyyed Mohammad Ali Al-e Hashem, and a member of the president’s bodyguard team Mahdi Mousavi. The helicopter’s pilot, co-pilot, and crew were also among others on board the chopper.

President Raisi and his accompanying delegation were returning from a ceremony to inaugurate a dam on the Aras River with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev.

Following the tragic martyrdom of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei declared a 5-day mourning in Iran.

Millions of people participated in the farewell ceremonies that were held for martyrs in the cities of Tabriz, Qom, Birjand, Mashhad, and Tehran.