Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi, FM Amir-Abdollahian killed in helicopter crash
The helicopter crashed on Sunday as it was crossing mountain terrain in heavy fog, while the Iranian president, foreign minister and others were on their way back from a visit to the border with Azerbaijan in Iran’s northwest.
Iran's president Ebrahim Raisi, 63, and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian were killed after the helicopter flying them back to Iran crashed near the Azerbaijan-Iranian border on Sunday.
On Monday morning, Iran's state media confirmed that all passenger onboard the helicopter had died in the crash.
The helicopter crashed as it was crossing mountain terrain in heavy fog, while Raisi, the foreign minister and other officials were on their way back from a visit to the border with Azerbaijan in Iran’s northwest.
Raisi's death comes at a time when Iran is already facing several challenges, with dissent over a range of political and economic issues. The Iranian government face international pressure over its ally Hamas' attack on Israel in October 2023, as well as its deepening military ties with Russia during the war with Ukraine.
The hardline leader took a tough stance in nuclear negotiations with the world leaders, as Iran enriched its uranium near weapons-grade levels. He also oversaw the launch of an aerial attack on Israel last month, in response to the killing of senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard officers in Iran’s embassy in Damascus.
Here's what we know:
🔴 While no official cause has been given yet, authorities said that bad weather may have led to the crash of the US-made Bell 212 helicopter.
🔴 The helicopter also carried the governor of Iran’s East Azerbaijan province, other officials and bodyguards, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.
🔴 All resources of the Iranian army and the elite Revolutionary Guards were put to use for the search and rescue operations.
🔴 According to the Anadolu news agency, a Turkish drone helped in identifying the source of heat suspected to be from the helicopter's wreckage, and shared the coordinates of the possible site of crash -- 20 kilometers south of the Azerbaijan-Iranian border -- with the Iranian officials.
🔴 Prayers were held across the country, while the state TV live-streamed rescue operations in the mountains.
Iranian Shi'ite pilgrims pray for Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi, following the crash of a helicopter carrying him, at the Imam Ali shrine in the holy city of Najaf, Iraq May 19, 2024. (Reuters)
🔴 Elections for the next president must be held within next 50 days. The vice president will take charge as the interim president with confirmation from the supreme leader.
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