China-Iran ties to stay on course despite death of ‘good friend’ president Raisi

Name: Iranian president dies in helicopter crash, raising questions about who will be next ruler
Uploaded: 2024-05-20T12:50:33.000Z
Duration: 2 min 7 s
Description: Iranian president dies in helicopter crash, raising questions about who will be next ruler

The strategic partnership between the two countries will continue, Chinese leader Xi Jinping says

Ultimate power in Tehran rests in the supreme leader and Iran has proven resilient to repeated shocks, observers say

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Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday. Photo: EPA-EFE

Alyssa Chen

Published: 8:50pm, 20 May 2024Updated: 9:30pm, 20 May 2024

China has lost a “good friend” with the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi but its ties with Iran will remain intact and its influence in the Middle East unchanged, according to diplomatic observers.

“[Raisi’s] unfortunate death is a great loss to the Iranian people and Chinese people also lost a good friend,” Chinese President Xi Jinping said in condolences sent to Vice-President Mohammad Mokhber on Monday.

“The Chinese government and people highly value the traditional friendship with Iran and believe that with joint efforts, the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Iran will surely continue to be strengthened and developed.”

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said China would continue to provide all necessary support to Iran, and further deepen the partnership between the two countries.

Raisi, a hardliner and potential successor to Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in a helicopter crash in mountainous terrain near the Azerbaijan border on Sunday. Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and six other passengers also died in the crash.

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Iranian president dies in helicopter crash, raising questions about who will be next ruler

Khamenei, who holds ultimate power with a final say on foreign policy and Iran’s nuclear programme, said Mokhber would take over as interim president, the official IRNA news agency reported.