U.S. offers 'official condolences' for Raisi's death, says he has 'blood on his hands'

May 21 (UPI) -- The United States on Monday offered its "official condolences" for the death of President Ebrahim Raisi of Iran who was killed in a helicopter crash a day prior, while chastising the deceased leader for having "blood on his hands."

Raisi was killed Sunday in a helicopter crash in northwestern Iran along with eight other people, including Iran's foreign minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian.

A hardline cleric, Raisi's known by his critics as the Butcher of Tehran for his involvement in Iran's mass execution of thousands of political prisoners in 1988.

The 63-year-old led Iran since his election in 2021. And during his tenure, he oversaw a brutal crackdown on dissent that was ignited first during the COVID-19 pandemic and then by September 2022's police killing of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died after being beaten by authorities over violating the country's draconian hijab laws.

In a tersely written, two-sentence statement, U.S. State Department spokesman acknowledged the death of Raisi while vowing support for the Iranian people.

"The United States expresses its official condolences for the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian and other members of their delegation in a helicopter crash in northwest Iran," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said. "As Iran selects a new president, we reaffirm our support for the Iranian people and their struggle for human rights and fundamental freedoms."

The statement came under criticism from some conservatives and Republicans, including Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, who said online that "offering condolences for the death of this monster is a disgrace."

Miller later explained to reporters during a regular State Department press conference that the Biden administration regrets the loss of life and does not want to see people die in helicopter crashes, but it does not change their view on him or the regime.

"We have been quite clear that Ebrahim Raisi was a brutal participant in the repression of the Iranian people for nearly four decades," he said. "Some of the worst human rights abuses occurred during his tenure as president, especially the human rights abuses against the women and girls of Iran.

"That said, we regret any loss of life."

White House National Security Commissions Advisor John Kirby also explained that offering official condolences is "a typical practice." And both Kirby and Miller said Raisi had "blood on his hands."

Kirby listed some of the offenses the United States holds him responsible for, from the arrest and physical violence against protesters at home to Iran's support of Hamas who killed some 1,200 Israelis on Oct. 7, which ignited the war that still rages in the Middle East.

"For our part, we're going to continue to stand with the Iranian people as they fight for their own civil rights," he told reporters during a press conference. "And we're going to continue to hold Iran accountable for all their destabilizing behavior in the region, which continues to this day."

Raisi has been under U.S. sanctions since November 2019.

Following the confirmation of Raisi's death, nations offered their condolences including Russia and Venezuela.

But so did the European Union, with EU Council President Charles Michel stating online that "our thoughts go to the families," and Josep Borrell, the EU's top diplomat, offering the 27-member bloc's "condolences."

"The EU expresses its sympathies to the families of all the victims and to the Iranian citizens affected," Borrell said in a statement.

The comments received pushback from conservative European politicians, including David Lega, a Swedish member of the European Parliament, who repeatedly lambasted the EU's condolences online.

"Your condolences in our Union's name is extremely disrespectful to the brave women of Iran and everyone else fighting for freedom and democracy," he said.

Meanwhile, the 15-member United Nations Security Council held a moment of silence for Raisi and those killed, at the request of Russia, China and Algeria. The United Nations' nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, similarly held a moment of silence for those killed in the crash.

Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Gilad Erdan lambasted the Security Council for holding the moment of silence.

Erdan told the council that it was honoring a man who had the blood of thousands of Iranians on his hands.

"He's responsible for butchering thousands around the globe. Thousands. This is who the security council dedicates a moment of silence to? A terrorist? A man who murders, oppressed so many?" he said. "What's next? Will the council hold a moment of silence for bin Laden? Will there be a vigil for Hitler? We wouldn't be surprised."