In pictures: Iranian twins die

1 of 9 Ladan and Laleh Bijani - aged 15 in this photograph - were full of ambitions for their future

2 of 9 Aged 29, they arrived in Singapore for their operation full of hope - but also apprehensive of the risks

3 of 9 Singapore-based Iranian, Bahar Niko, kissed her new-found friends good luck as they prepared for the operation

4 of 9 A team of 28 doctors and 100 medical assistants were involved in the unprecedented surgery, which lasted 53 hours

5 of 9 Singapore's Iranian community gathered to pray as the operation entered a critical phase

6 of 9 There was hope as a hospital spokesman announced the completion of the most critical phase - re-routing a shared vein

7 of 9 But optimism was short-lived and hospital staff said their attempts had ended in failure

8 of 9 Summing up the mood: Shahin Azimi, an Iranian friend of the twins, wept in grief as the deaths were confirmed

9 of 9 In Tehran, the twins' adopted sister wept as she watched a video of Ladan and Laleh