‘Tireless soldier of diplomacy’: Top Iranian officials mourn martyrdom of Kamal Kharrazi

Iran’s highest-ranking officials have issued profound messages of condolence following the martyrdom of veteran diplomat Kamal Kharrazi, who succumbed to injuries sustained in a targeted US-Israeli strike.

Kharrazi, the head of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations and a former foreign minister, attained martyrdom on Thursday night. He had been severely wounded in an attack targeting his Tehran residence on April 1, a strike that also claimed the life of his spouse.

His assassination occurred amid a widespread US-Israeli war of terrorism against the Islamic Republic that began on February 28. The invading coalition also assassinated Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, alongside other senior government officials and military commanders.

President Masoud Pezeshkian mourned the loss of a "prominent, committed, and influential figure" in the country's diplomatic apparatus, highlighting his decades of service following the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

"He spent many years of his noble life in critical responsibilities such as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Iran's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, with sincerity, tact, and deep adherence to the ideals of the Islamic Revolution," the president stated.

Pezeshkian praised Kharrazi’s enduring dedication to defending national interests, noting he maintained the same "spirit of responsibility, tact, and compassion" while serving on the Expediency Discernment Council and the Strategic Council.

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf strongly condemned the act of terrorism, describing it as the "cowardly assassination of the tireless soldier of diplomacy."

Qalibaf stated that the attack on the "committed scientist and self-sacrificing warrior" was a clear demonstration of the "baseness and weakness" of the US-Israeli coalition.

"This great martyr, who has left behind lasting scientific works and brilliance, was always adorned with ethics in the fields of management and international relations," Qalibaf wrote, adding that Kharrazi gave his life "in the path of a proud Iran and in defense of the ideals of the Islamic Revolution."

Highlighting Kharrazi's unwavering ideological loyalty, Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei noted that the late diplomat was an "influential weight" across various political arenas.

He added that during Kharrazi's tenure as foreign minister from, he "did not allow the macro-movement of the country's foreign policy to derail from its principled and fundamental path," praising his absolute obedience to the Leader in all periods and positions.

Current Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also expressed his profound grief, stating the heartbreaking news plunges the conscious hearts of the nation into deep shock and sorrow.

"The loss of such a character is not merely the loss of an individual, but rather the silencing of a part of the wisdom, experience, and dignified voice of Iranian diplomacy in the international arena," Araghchi stated.

Reflecting on their years of collaboration, Araghchi praised his predecessor for navigating the challenging path of foreign policy with "honesty, patience, and dignity."

"His name is tied to the dignity of Iranian diplomacy, with firm logic before the world, and with the honest defense of the independence and honor of this nation," Araghchi said.

"Undoubtedly, his efforts and his intellectual and diplomatic legacy will remain as a guiding light on the future path of the country's foreign policy and will not be forgotten," he added.

The funeral and burial procession for the seasoned diplomat was set to be held in Tehran later Friday.

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