President Dr Mohamed Muizzu issued a directive today, declaring that the national flag would be flown at half-mast for three days, from Tuesday, May 21, 2024, to Thursday, May 23, 2024, in mourning for Iran's late President, Dr Ebrahim Raisi.

In a post on X on Monday morning, the President wrote that he was "deeply saddened by the untimely death of President Dr Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi of Iran in the tragic helicopter crash."

"I pray to Almighty Allah to bless the souls of President Raisi, Foreign Minister Abdollahian, and others who lost their lives in this unfortunate incident and to grant them Jannatul Firdaus. Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families and people of Iran at this time of profound grief," his post further read.

Raisi, 63, was elected president in 2021, and since taking office has ordered a tightening of morality laws, overseen a bloody crackdown on anti-government protests and pushed hard in nuclear talks with world powers.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who holds ultimate power with a final say on foreign policy and Iran's nuclear programme, had earlier sought to reassure Iranians, saying there would be no disruption to state affairs.