HARARE – President Emmerson Mnangagwa says he still has fond memories of late Iranian leader Ibrahim Seyyed Raisi’s visit to the country.
Raisi died with half a dozen aides in a tragic helicopter crash in his country on Sunday.
In a condolence message, Mnangagwa said, “I have learnt, with deep sorrow, of the untimely demise of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, His Excellency Dr. Ebrahim Seyyed Raisi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Dr. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, as well as other senior Government Officials, on 19 May 2024.
“On behalf of the Government and the people of the Republic of Zimbabwe, and, indeed, on my own behalf, I wish to extend my heartfelt condolences on the passing on of President Raisi, the Foreign Minister and the other victims of the helicopter crash.
“I have very fond memories of my personal interaction with President Raisi when he paid a State Visit to Zimbabwe in July 2023.”
Raisi was in Zimbabwe in July last as a last stop of his three-nation African tour involving Kenya and Uganda.
He signed 12 agreements which included memorandums of understanding (MOU) for agriculture, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, research, science and technology projects.
In his comments, Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe and Iran were brought closer together by that they were both under Western sanctions.
“It is critically important that we, the victims of Western sanctions, are talking to each other… that we show them that we’re united,” Mnangagwa told a press briefing after talks with Raisi.
In April this year, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, on behalf of the country, struck a deal which will see Zimbabwe purchasing weapons from Iran in order to bypass sanctions imposed by western countries.
