More World Leaders Extend Condolence on Expediency Council Chief Hashemi Rafsanjani's Demise

Rasa - More world leaders and officials extended their condolences to the Iranian nation and government on the occasion of the death of the Head of Iran's Expediency Council and two-time president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.

News ID: 426425

Date: 10 January 2017 - 21:49

RNA - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in two separate messages to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani said "the Syrian government and nation extend their condolence to the Iranian government and nation on the sad occasion".

Russian President Vladimir Putin also expressed his deep sorrow over the death of Rafsanjani and extended his condolences in a message to President Hassan Rouhani.

Meantime, White House press secretary Josh Earnest expressed condolences on the demise of late Chairman of the Expediency Council Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.

"Ayatollah Rafsanjani was a prominent and a consequential figure in Iran's history," Earnest said.

US Department of State Spokesman John Kirby also extended his condolences to the Iranian government and Hashemi Rafsanjani's family, and referred to him as a prominent figure in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Palestine's Hamas resistance movement described Hashemi Rafsanjani as one of the political leaders and figures who supported the Palestinian nation and cause throughout years.

Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika lauded Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani's efforts for safeguarding the Islamic ummah's unity.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lu Kang also said that Hashemi Rafsanjani was an influential figure.

Oman's Sultan Qabood, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, Cuban President Raul Castro, Political Council of Yemen's Ansarullah Movement, Jordanian King Abdullah and Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jafari, UAE and Dubai rulers in separate messages extended their condolences on the occasion of the demise of Hashemi Rafsanjani.

Meantime, Head of Bosnia-Herzegovina Islamic Society Hossein Afandi in a message extended his condolences to the Iranian government and nation on the passing away of Hashemi Rafsanjani.

"Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani was big friend of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Bosnian nation; we can never forget this issue," Afandi added.

Furthermore, President of the Ivory Coast Alassane Ouattara condoled with President Rouhani on the death of the Expediency Council chief.

Also, Armenian Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan extended his condolence over the passing away of Hashemi Rafsanjani.

Senior Lebanese politician and Leader of the Druze Progressive Socialist Party Walid Jumblatt praised Hashemi Rafsanjani for his role played in Iran’s domestic and foreign policies.

Meantime, South African President Jacob Zuma in a message offered his condolences on the demise of ex-president the late Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.

Also, Iraqi Kurdistan Parliament Speaker Yusuf Mohammed Sadiq, Lebanon's Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Secretary General of the Lebanese Hezbollah Resistance Movement Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in messages condoled Iran's leader and officials on the sad occassion.

"He was a big pillar, a supporter, a kind father and a staunch defender of the Lebanon Islamic resistance in all stages and difficult conditions over the past 34 years," Nasrallah said.

He extended his condolences to the bereaved family of Hashemi Rafsanjani, the Iranian officials and people.

Meantime, the Iraqi Vice President Nouri al-Maliki in a message on Sunday night extended condolences on the demise of late Hashemi Rafsanjani.

Iraqi President Fouad Massoum and Chairman of Iraqi National Coalition Ammar Hakim also in separate messages expressed condolences on demise of former Iranian president.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz Sharif on Monday expressed deep grief over the death of the veteran Iranian politician.

"Rafsanjani was an influential figure not only in Iran, but also a symbol of reconciliatory peace efforts at the international level," Nawaz Sharif added.

Meantime, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a message condoled on the sad occasion.

Kuwait's ruling emir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Bahrain's Emir Hamad bin Issa Al-e Khalifa in separate messages extended their condolences over Rafsanjani's death.

Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan also expressed his condolences over the loss of Rafsanjani and sympathized with his family.

Tajik President Imomali Rakhmon extended a message of condolence to his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani over the demise of Hashemi Rafsanjani.

Further, Palestine’s Islamic Jihad Organization expressed sorrow over the passing away of Iran's former president.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was also among the officials who extended condolences to Iranian government and nation.

Cavusoglu said in a Twitter message he was “deeply saddened” by the demise of Rafsanjani.

Rafsanjani died at the age of 83 in Tehran on Sunday after he was rushed to Tajreesh Martyrs Hospital in Northern Tehran after experiencing a heart failure Sunday afternoon.

"Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani suffered a cardiac arrest at around 18:00 today and was immediately rushed to a Tehran hospital where a team of heart specialists tried hard to resuscitate him for one and a half hours, but unfortunately to no avail," Deputy Health Minister Mohammad Haji Aghajani said in the evening.

"He died at 19:30 this afternoon," the deputy minister declared.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, President Hassan Rouhani - who rushed to the hospital after hearing the news - Experts Assembly, Judiciary Chief Sadeq Amoli Larijani, Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, Guardian Council, Supreme National Security Council, Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and a wide range of other Iranian officials all rushed to express condolence on Hashemi Rafsanjani's death.

The Iranian government has declared three days of mourning. Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani was given a funeral procession in Tehran on Tuesday.

Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani or Hashemi Bahramani was born in Southern Iran on 25 August, 1934 and was an influential Iranian politician and writer, who was the fourth president of Iran.

He was Iran's Parliament Speaker in the 1980s and the country's president for two terms from 1989 to 1997.

Hashemi Rafsanjani also served as chairman of Iran's Experts Assembly that is tasked with choosing the country's Leader.

He was also head of Iran's Expediency Council ever since 1987.

Hashemi Rafsanjani married Effat Marashi, a housewife, in 1958. The couple have three sons and two daughters. His second son, Mehdi who went on trial and was convicted to 10 years of imprisonment for corruption charges, was released from prison in the evening to attend his father's funeral ceremony.

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