Mashhad, IRNA – Pilgrims visiting the shrine of Imam Reza (AS) in Iran’s northeastern city of Mashhad has started a ceremony to pray for the health and safety of President Ebrahim Raisi after a helicopter carrying him and senior officials crashed in northwestern Iran. 

Pilgrims congregated at Imam Reza’s holy shrine on Sunday on the eve of the eighth Shia Imam’s birthday anniversary. 

They recited prayers for president Raisi’s health after news broke that his helicopter had crashed in East Azerbaijan province. 

Raisi was in the area to open large infrastructure projects, including a joint dam located on the border with the Republic of Azerbaijan.

2050**4261