The government of the United States has declared that the late Iranian President, Ebrahim Raisi, had a “lot of blood on his hands.”
The White House made this declaration on Monday in a condolence message after Raisi’s death.
Africa Today News, New York reports that the Raisi and some officials were involved in a helicopter crash in East Azerbaijan province.
US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Raisi was responsible for “atrocious” rights abuses in Iran and had supported regional proxies, including Hamas.
Addressing reporters, Kirby said: “This was a man who had a lot of blood on his hands.”
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Kirby, however, said: “As in any other case, we certainly regret in general the loss of life and offer official condolences as appropriate.”
Earlier, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, announced on Monday five days of mourning for President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash.
“I announce five days of public mourning and offer my condolences to the dear people of Iran,” said Khamenei in an official statement a day after the death of Raisi.
Raisi, 63, was elected president on his second attempt in 2021, and since taking office, has overseen a tightening of morality laws, a bloody crackdown on antigovernment protests triggered by the death in custody of 22-year-old woman Mahsa Amini, and taken a tougher approach to nuclear talks with world powers.
Last month, he ordered an unprecedented drone-and-missile attack on Israel, following an alleged Israeli strike on Iran’s consulate in Damascus which killed 13 people including a top commander and his deputy.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who holds ultimate power in Iran, had earlier sought to reassure Iranians, some of whom turned out to pray for Raisi’s wellbeing, saying there would be no disruption to state affairs.