Erbil, Kurdistan Region - A senior delegation from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is set to visit Iran to attend the funeral of former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. This comes following the tragic helicopter crash in East Azerbaijan province that claimed the lives of President Raisi and several high-ranking officials, according to a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency.

The delegation will include Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, President Nechirvan Barzani, Vice President of the Kurdistan Region Mustafa Said Qadir, Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, and Interior Minister Rebar Ahmed.

Iranian state television reported on Sunday that the helicopter carrying President Raisi and his delegation crashed under unclear circumstances. The crash also resulted in the deaths of Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the governor-general of East Azerbaijan province Malek Rahmati, Khamenei's representative Imam Juma'a, and several other officials.

Ebrahim Raisi, who was elected president of Iran in the June 2021 election, was the country's first hard-line president since Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Raisi, born in 1960 in the city of Mashhad, studied law and had a career as a prosecutor and judge before rising to the presidency. He had promised to strengthen Iran's economy and improve the lives of its citizens during his tenure.

The loss of President Raisi and his delegation has sent shockwaves through the region, and the presence of the KRG delegation at the funeral underscores the significance of Raisi's impact and the strong ties between the Kurdistan Region and Iran.