In a message on Wednesday, Esmaeil Baqaei extended Iran’s condolences to the Libyan government and nation and expressed sympathy with the victims’ families and survivors.

The Libyan army’s chief of staff, Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad, died in a plane crash near the Turkish capital, Ankara, shortly after the private jet he was travelling in took off from an airport there.

The crash on Tuesday killed everyone on board.

The other victims were four high-ranking Libyan military officials as well as three crew members.