TEHRAN – The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman on Wednesday extended condolences to the Russian government on the death of the country's ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin.

Bahram Qassemi also sympathized with the family of the late Churkin.

Churkin passed away on Monday, February 20, in New York. Churkin had served as Russia's permanent representative to the UN and the Russian representative in the UN Security Council since April 2006. He would have turned 65 on Tuesday, February 21.

SP/PA