North Korea’s Kim sends message of condolences to Iran

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a message of condolences to Iran over the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash, state media KCNA reported Tuesday.

In the message, Kim said Raisi’s death was a “great loss” for Iran and that he hoped the bereaved families would recover as quickly as possible.

He was “an outstanding statesman and close friend” who made “a great contribution to the cause of the Iranian people for safeguarding the sovereignty, development and interests of his country as well as the achievements of the Islamic Revolution “Kim said. KCNA, Reuters reported.

North Korea and Iran have close ties and are believed to have cooperated on ballistic missile programs, possibly exchanging technical expertise.