Burkina Faso/Iran : Disappearance of the Iranian President, Captain Ibrahim TRAORE expresses his compassion and solidarity

The transitional president of Burkina Faso, Captain Ibrahim TRAORE, made a statement on Monday, May 20, 2024, following the death of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi, on Sunday, May 19, 2024, in a helicopter crash. He paid tribute to a leader committed to defending the interests of his people and the sovereignty of his country.

On behalf of the entire Burkinabe people and himself, President Ibrahim TRAORE extended condolences and expressed solidarity with the friendly and brotherly Iranian people. The head of the Burkinabe government, Me Apollinaire Kyelem de Tambèla, who recently met with the late president in Tehran, supported the Burkinabe president’s message of comfort.

For the Burkinabe Prime Minister, the land of upright people has lost a reliable ally and supporter. His words were inscribed in the condolence book opened at the Iranian embassy in Ouagadougou. He also honored the memory of a president dedicated to the sovereignty of Iran and the construction of a multipolar world respectful of the interests of all nations.

As a reminder, Burkina Faso and the Islamic Republic of Iran share strong ties of friendship and bilateral cooperation, particularly in the fields of defense, economy and finance, trade exchanges, investment promotion, and many other sectors. From April 24 to May 1, 2024, the head of the Burkinabe government was in Tehran, the Iranian capital, for a friendship and working visit.

He had discussions with the late president, the now deceased President Ebrahim Raisi, on matters of common interest to the two strategic partners. His sudden death, along with that of his companions, is a severe blow to the Iranian people as well as to their friends and allies abroad, such as the AES countries.

Karim Koné