Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared a day of national mourning in Pakistan on Tuesday to pay respects to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and other dignitaries who passed away in a helicopter crash.

“In an expression of fraternal solidarity on behalf of the government and people of Pakistan with the government and people of Iran on the sad demise of the President of Iran Ebrahim Raisi and other dignitaries, the prime minister has declared Tuesday, May 21, as a day of national mourning in Pakistan,” the Cabinet Division notified on Monday.

On Monday, PM Shehbaz said that Pakistan flags would flew at half mast to mourn the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his companions.

“Pakistan will observe a day of mourning and the flag will fly at half mast as a mark of respect for President Raisi and his companions and in solidarity with Brotherly Iran,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a post on X.

Raisi, a hardliner long seen as a potential successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in a helicopter crash in mountainous terrain near the Azerbaijan border, officials and state media said on Monday.

The charred wreckage of the helicopter which crashed on Sunday carrying Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian was found early on Monday after an overnight search in blizzard conditions.

Raisi’s death was later confirmed in a statement on social media by Vice President Mohsen Mansouri and on state television.

Pakistan had hosted President Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian on a historic visit, less than a month ago.

While addressing a ceremony in Karachi last month, he said that no power in the world can spoil the relations between Iran and Pakistan. Raisi was awarded the honorary degree of doctorate by the University of Karachi.

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The two countries had agreed to enhance the bilateral trade volume to $10 billion in the next five years.

PM Shehbaz said that he had been “anxiously” following developments regarding the reported crash landing of President Raisi’s helicopter.

“Was hoping for good news. Alas, this was not to be. I along with the government and people of Pakistan extend our deepest condolences and sympathies to the Iranian nation on this terrible loss. May the martyred souls rest in heavenly peace. The great Iranian nation will overcome this tragedy with customary courage.”

The earlier version of the story mentioned Monday as the day of mourning, however, it was Tuesday. The error is regretted.