By Syed Khalique Ahmed
NEW DELHI—It was an emotional scene at a condolence meeting organized at the Iran Culture House here to pay homage to Iranian President Dr. Seyed Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian who died in a helicopter crash in the mountainous region of East Azerbaijan on May 20. East Azerbaijan is a province of Iran bordering Azerbaijan.
Many men and women from diverse background, who had assembled to register their condolences and give comfort and peace to Iranians in India affected by the tragic death of their President, were seen sobbing while expressing their sympathies. Their wailing because of sadness over the incident, indicated close and age-old relationship of Indians with the people of Iran.
Intense emotional response of the people also surprised the officials of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran. In his concluding remarks, Iran’s Cultural Counsellor in India Dr. F. Faridasr commented, “I received several calls from people here(India) expressing their grief and sorrow over the tragic death of the President of Iran but in many cases I had to myself console them and tell them not to worry because they were so much emotional and cried over the incident.”
Among prominent people who attended the condolence meeting included Welfare Party of India president Dr. Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, Mr. Mujtaba Farooq from the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind(JIH) and his colleagues including JIH national secretary Mohammed Ahmed, political and social activist Dr. Tasleem Rahmani, Prof Akhtarul Wasey, Fatehpuri Masjid Imam Mufti Mukarram Ahmed and Dr. M D Thomas, founder-director of Institute of Harmony and Peace Studies.
(Iran’s Cultural Counsellor in India Dr. F. Faridasr (right) giving his speech at the conclusion of the condolence meeting on the tragic demise of Iranian President Dr. Seyed Ebrahim Raisi at the Iran Culture House here on May 21, 2024.)
All these dignitaries personally met Iranian ambassador to India His Excellency Dr. Iraj Ilahi and registered their condolences with him.
Dr. Raisi’s resisted Western powers: JIH chief Syed Sadatullah Husaini
JIH President Syed Sadatullah Husaini, a day earlier, had issued a condolence statement in which he said that passing away of Dr. Raisi was a profound loss to the Muslim Ummah. Remembering the contributions of Iranian President, Mr Husaini said that Dr. Raisi’s Presidency was marked by admirable resistance to Western powers who desired to arm-twist other countries into submission for economic exploitation.
JIH chief said that Dr. Raisi would also be remembered for his resolute support to the Palestinian cause and their resistance against the Zionist settler colonialism and atrocities in Palestine.
Dr. Raisi wanted to end dependence of Muslim countries on the US, its allies: WPI chief Dr. SQR Ilyas
WPI national President Dr SQR Ilyas, expressing sympathies with the people of Iran in this hour of crisis, said that the death of Dr. Raisi was not only a tragic incident for Iran but a very distressing incident for the entire Muslim world. He stood like a rock against the imperialist forces who wanted indirect control over the political and economic life of other nations, particularly Muslim countries.
Stating that Dr. Raisi had successfully established strong ties with Russia and China, Dr. Ilyas said that the Iranian President made all his efforts to ensure that Muslim countries ended their dependence on the US and its allies. To achieve this objective, he improved Iran’s relations with Saudi Arabia, a strong opponent of Iran’s regional policies for decades.
Pointing out that Dr. Raisi had made his country’s policy on Palestine very clear to the entire world, WPI chief said that he had established very strong and close relationship with Hamas leadership. According to Dr. Ilyas, actions of Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Yemen’s Houthis against Israel would not have been possible without support from Iran.
Though Dr. Raisi’s demise will not create any political vacuum in Iran, WPI leader said Dr Raisi will always be remembered for being a strong political leader and a wise statesman.
Former joint director of Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM) Dr. Syed Ahmed Khan said Dr. Raisi’s role in connection with Palestinian resistance movement was very important and the Muslim Ummah was really in deep shock over his demise.
According to Middle-East experts, Iran under Dr. Raisi was among the three countries that extended assistance to Palestinians to resist the Israeli occupation. The other two countries are Turkey and Qatar. Experts say that Dr. Raisi’s policy with regard to Palestine and resistance against unjust policies of the US-led Western powers would continue no matter who takes over the Presidency after the elections to be held on June 28.
Sabotage angle in copter crash can’t be ruled out: Dr. Zafarul Islam Khan
A prominent Middle-East expert Dr. Zafarul Islam Khan, who has penned several books on Palestinian issue, paying glowing tributes to Dr Raisi and his vision for the Muslim Ummah, said it would be premature to say if the helicopter crash in which Dr. Raisi was killed, was a pure accident or a Israeli conspiracy to eliminate him. The truth, he said, would be known only after investigation that has already begun by a team of Iranian army officials.
However, he said that a sabotage angle could not be ruled out given a history of Israeli hands in killing of Iranian officials, nuclear scientists and military generals all over the globe like France, Sweden, Egypt, UAE and the latest in Damascus in Syria. About 13 Iranian officials, including 8 army generals, were killed in a surprise attack by Israel on the premises of Iranian Embassy in Damascus in April this year. But Israel, he says, never accepted its involvement in these sabotage activities. The Damascus incident compelled Iran to retaliate and attack the military targets inside Israel that surprised the world powers because Israel, a regional bully, was considered invincible because of the military and economic support of the US and European powers. But Iran under Dr. Raisi busted the Israeli myth when its drones and missiles exploded near a military base inside Israel despite the US and European forces intercepting some of the Iranian missiles and drones from their bases in the Gulf region.
Stating that Dr. Raisi’s death was very shocking and a vacuum has been created in the politics of Iran, Dr. Khan, however, said that it would not impact the military and administrative situation or the foreign policy of Iran because the country was based on a very strong Constitutional system. Within hours of confirmation of the death of Dr. Raisi, the Iranian establishment appointed country’s vice-president as President who immediately announced elections for the post of President. This indicates a robust constitutional mechanism that runs Iran and hence, no harm would occur to Iran no matter who becomes the President of the country.
According to Dr. Khan, if Dr. Raisi’s killing is proved a sabotage after investigation, it would not be the first incident of a conspiracy to eliminate Iranian political leaders, military generals and scientists after Islamic revolution in Iran in 1979. He said that on June 30, 1981, a powerful blast at the headquarters of Islamic Republican Party had killed about 70 prominent political leaders of Iran, including Chief Justice Ayatollah Mohammad Beheshti, who was the second most powerful Iranian leader after Ayatollah Khomeini. Among those killed also included several ministers and members of Parliament. “But the Iranian constitutional system developed after 1979 Islamic Revolution is so strong that it did not affect the government. The second line of leadership immediately took over and brought everything on the track without losing a moment,” Dr Khan pointed out. A number of other similar incidents also took place but Iranians remained committed to their goal and defeated the global conspiracies against them.
“Though Iran has suffered a lot due to sanctions imposed by the US and European countries, it has at the same time achieved unimaginable developments in all sectors,” Dr. Khan, a former chairman of Delhi Minorities Commission, said. He said, “The chief reason for Iran’s growth is the absence of corruption in the government due to which entire budget is spent on developmental projects,” Dr. Khan observed. He believes that another reason for the prosperity and growth of Iran is the freedom given to its people in all spheres of life unlike in its neighbouring Arab countries.
Dr. Khan also rejected the Western media’s propaganda that women in Iran were subjected to atrocities and were not allowed to go outside their homes without veil or headscarf. He said he visited Teheran and some other cities in August last year and witnessed women walking in streets of Teheran even without head scarves. He said that Western powers had launched a propaganda to tarnish the image of Iran that had achieved incredible growth despite odds put up in its way by the US and its Western allies.
Girls from Meerut singing a song in praise of Dr. Ebrahim Raisi.
At the end of condolence programme, a team of young girls from Meerut sang a song in praise of Dr Raisi and Iranian leadership.
Other condolence progammes
A number of condolence progammes are scheduled to held at different places in Delhi and prominent cities in India. In Delhi, a condolence meet will be held tomorrow in Jogabai in Zakir Nagar area which is likely to be attended by Iran Cultural Counsellor Dr. F. Faridasr. Another programme is planned to be held at Babul Ilm Masjid in Noor Nagar, near Jamia Community Centre, on Friday which will be attended by Iranian Ambassador Dr. Iraj Ilahi. Similar programmes are also planned to be held in Mumbai, Lucknow and Hyderabad.
India government mourns the demise of Dr. Raisi
India officially observed state mourning on May 21 for President Raisi’s death. The Indian national flag flew at half-mast (a symbol of respect and mourning), at all public buildings throughout the country. In Uttar Pradesh, officials from top to district level were officially instructed to lower the national at half- mast at all government buildings on May 21.
Indian President Draupadi Murmu sent a message of condolence to the government of India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also registered his condolences on the death of Iranian president. In a message on X, Mr Modi said, “Deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic demise of Dr. Seyed Ebrahim Raisi, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. His contribution to strengthening India-Iran bilateral relationship will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to his family and the people of Iran. India stands with Iran in this time of sorrow.”
Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar visited Iran Embassy and condoled the tragic demise of Dr. Raisi and Iran’s foreign minister. He described them as ‘friends of India’.
According to Ministry of External Affairs, Indian vice-president Jagdeep Dhankar flew to Teheran on Wednesday to take part in the funeral of late Iranian president and others who were killed in a helicopter crash.
