BEIRUT- In the wake of the shocking incident that befell President Seyed Ebrahim Raisi and his companions, the Lebanese people spent the night before their martyrdom pleading to the Almighty for their safety.  This tremendous loss has revealed the wide popularity this exceptional scholar among them.

It also reflects Iran’s great status in the hearts of the Lebanese especially since Seyed Ebrahim Raisi had various economic, developmental, political, and strategic achievements, and a remarkable presence in a number of international and regional forums, particularly those related to the Palestinian cause recently at the Riyadh summit and at the United Nations.

Throughout his presidency, extending from August 3, 2021, to May 20, 2024, the martyr was keen to revitalize the Islamic nation and reduce the artificial gaps by promoting unity and rapprochement.  During his tenure, the Islamic Republic also took advanced steps in normalizing bilateral ties with its opponents and reassuring them that there was no truth to the American myth of an “alleged Iranian ambition” in West Asia.

For his part, the unprecedented diplomat, Dr Amir Hossein Abdollahian, had, since the onset of the “Battle of the Al-Aqsa Flood,” multiple tours as he moved between Beirut, Damascus, Baghdad, Riyadh, Doha, Muscat, Beijing, etc., stressing Iran’s position in support of the Palestinian people, and seeking to unify Arab and Islamic viewpoints.

Indeed, the loss of those two martyrs, Amir Hossein Abdollahian and Seyed Ebrahim Raisi is a painful tragedy for the entire Islamic nation.

Personally, I was honored to meet Seyed Ebrahim Raisi during the “Khorshid” International Media Festival on October 2, 2023, in which 100 female media personnel from about 40 countries participated, in memory of the martyred journalist Sherine Abu Aqla, who was killed by the Israeli occupation entity.

Then, Seyed Ebrahim Raisi said that such meetings enhance synergy between all free and independent media, stressing that Allah has created in women many competencies so that they can crystallize the status of the family, pointing out that “the West exploits women as a tool, while the Islamic Republic believes that women can effectively build the society alongside men and play a fundamental role both in the family and in the field of social issues.”

Martyr Seyed Ebrahim Raisi continued, “Today, Westerners use the issue of women’s rights as a tool to pressure our independent countries,” questioning why it violates and wastes human rights. He added, “They oppressed the Palestinian people for 70 years, and the Afghanis over two decades and did not bring anything to the security and well-being of the Afghan people, and nothing remained.  They violate the covenants before the eyes of the world, distort the facts, and promote false narratives in the media.”

Martyr Sayyed Ebrahim Raisi confirmed that cooperation is a must to thwart the enemy’s attempts and to conceal American crimes in the name of freedom and human rights, saying, “They are insulting the Holy Qur’an in the name of freedom of expression, while this measure is contrary to human rights. All those who know what is happening in the world have a heavy duty of conveying the correct story.”

Meanwhile, we can only share the Iranian people’s heartfelt sorrow over this loss.  May Allah have mercy on Seyed Raisi, Dr.  Abdollahian, and their companions, and may He shower the heart of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Seyed Ali Khamenei, with his utmost blessings.  Besides, we pledge to Martyr Seyed Ebrahim Raisi to move forward in the Jihad of clarification (Jehad-e-tabyeen) and to support the oppressed.