Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian have been confirmed dead following a helicopter crash in northern Iran. The wreckage was found in a mountainous area amid heavy fog.
Details:
Rescue teams discovered the crash site on Monday, with state TV reporting “no signs of life” and that the helicopter had been “completely burned.” The state-run Mehr news agency confirmed that both Raisi and Amirabdollahian had been “martyred.”
Initial reports suggested the helicopter had a rough landing near Jolfa, close to the border with Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan exclave, approximately 600km from Tehran. Turkish authorities provided drone footage showing a fire about 20km south of the Azerbaijan-Iran border on a steep mountainside.
Emergency Response:
Following the announcement of Raisi’s death, Iran’s cabinet held an emergency meeting and expressed condolences, highlighting Raisi’s dedication to his country. His chair was draped in black during the session.
International Reactions:
Global leaders, including Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressed their condolences. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro also paid tribute, acknowledging Raisi’s support for Venezuela.
Interim Leadership:
Vice President Mohammad Mokhber has been appointed interim president. Mokhber, close to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, will help organize a new presidential election within 50 days.
Impact:
The crash is expected to have significant implications for the Middle East, given Iran’s influence in the region. Under Raisi, Iran had recently intensified its military activities, including launching drones and missiles at Israel in response to an airstrike on an Iranian consulate in Syria.
The helicopter carrying President Ebrahim Raisi and the Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabaijan was a Bell 212 helicopter.
This is a picture of the crashed helicopter with a drone view
