Biden Administration Official Criticized for Giving Condolences on Raisi’s Death

(RepublicanReport.org) – On May 19, a helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahain, and six others went down in a mountainous area of the country. Emergency crews could not immediately find the wreckage due to extreme weather, but the next day, authorities confirmed that Raisi and the others were dead. Several countries relayed condolences, including the United States, through its State Department.

On the day the deaths were confirmed, Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller issued a statement saying the United States expressed its “official condolences for the death” of the Iranian president and the others who died in the crash. Miller also relayed the department’s support for the people of Iran and their “struggle for human rights and fundamental freedoms.”

Following the statement, Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) said offering such condolences to the “Butcher of Tehran” was a “disgrace,” adding that Raisi was a “monster.” Neither the White House nor President Joe Biden made any statement about the Iranian president’s death or the others.

Representative Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN) called the condolences by the Biden administration “shameful.” He said Raisi was an “evil tyrant” who spent his time in office “repressing and butchering innocent people.” He accused the administration of trying to “appease” enemies of the US.

Representative Pat Fallon (R-TX) echoed the sentiment, stating that Raisi didn’t deserve condolences. Billionaire Bill Ackman called Miller’s statement “crazy,” asking if the US sent a similar message to “Germany when Hitler died.”

In 1980, the United States officially cut its diplomatic relations with Iran after a hostile takeover of the American Embassy there in 1979. There is also no Iranian embassy in Washington, DC. An official from the State Department reportedly said America’s “approach” toward Iran “remains unchanged” in that the US will continue supporting Iranian citizens and “defend[ing] their human rights” while “confront[ing] the Iranian regime” on specific issues.