Abdallah Bouhabib, on Monday, expressed condolences for the deaths of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian.

Iranian state media stated Raisi, Amirabdollahian, and others were pronounced dead after their helicopter crashed in a foggy, mountainous area in the nation’s northwest.

“I met the foreign minister on numerous occasions since assuming this role and we became close,” Bouhabib said, adding that he and Amirabdollahian “freely shared information” and regularly consulted with one another.

“I feel a great loss with his passing. I’ve been saddened since receiving the news yesterday,” he added.

The crash occurred during a time of instability in the Middle East due to the Israel-Hamas conflict, during which Raisi, aged 63 and serving under Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei last month, launched an attack on Israel.

Khamenei announced on Monday that Iran’s first vice president, Mohammad Mokhber, would serve as the acting president until elections can be held.