TEHRAN —A funeral procession was held for Iran's Social Security Organization Director Taqi Noorbakhsh and his deputy for parliamentary affairs Abdorrahman Tajoddin in Tehran on Friday who passed away in a car crash on Thursday evening.

In a collision between their car and an oil tanker Noorbakhsh and Tajoddin both sustained fatal injuries and passed away at the hospital, IRIB reported. 

The two late officials were on a mission accompanying Labor Minister Mohammad Shariatmadari in Golestan province, northern Iran.

Making an unsafe U-turn, unsafe road conditions as distracted driving on the part of the oil tanker driver were the main causes of the accident, Traffic police Ali Abdi said, IRNA news agency reported on Friday. 

A funeral procession was also held for the two late officials in Golestan on Friday morning. 

Noorbakhsh, 58, was an orthopedic surgeon who served as the head of Social Security Organization since 2013. During his 20s he took part in the 8-year Iran-Iraq war (1980-88) as a doctor. 

Tajoddin, 65, was a former parliament member who served as the deputy director of the Organization for 5 years. 

Many high-ranking officials including President Hassan Rouhani, Chairman of the Expediency Council Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, as well as ministers extended their condolences over the tragic incident.

MQ/MG