Iran’s President Raisi and foreign minister declared dead following helicopter crash

The deaths of Iranian President, Ebrahim Raisi, and foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, along with at least six others, were announced by Iran’s state media early this morning. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has announced five days of immediate mourning for the fallen, after search and rescue efforts confirmed the fatalities.

Images have emerged of a scattered, burning debris field at the helicopter crash site in the remote East Azerbaijan Province of Northern Iran. An investigation into the crash is underway, with initial reports laying blame on a combination of foggy weather and mountainous terrain. 

The Iranian President and his attache were returning from Azerbaijan where they met with President Aliyev in a state visit which aimed to “bring the two states closer together” to mend a period of combative interstate relations. 

President Raisi, who served as the nation’s leader from 2021 until his untimely demise, was a high-ranking Shia cleric and politician who has been condemned for orchestrating the brutal crackdown on women’s rights protestors last year as well as ordering the executions of thousands of dissidents in previous roles. Raisi, a direct descendant of the Prophet Mohammed, was also in consideration for the next Supreme Leader.

Tehran’s foreign minister, Amir-Abdollahian, a life-long bureaucrat, was known for his hard-line stance towards western powers and Israel. His tenure was marked by a distinct shift towards regional pacification as he signed the Saudi-Iran diplomatic deal among other conciliatory agreements. However, he was also a major proponent of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard (IRCG) and the late Gen Qassem Soleimani, and hailed Iran’s alliance with Hamas and Hezbollah.

Among the President and FM, several other high-ranking officials were killed in the crash. The deceased include the regional governor, the regional representative to Iran’s supreme leader, Raisi’s head of security, and the flight crew.

Condolences have poured in from around the world, with sympathies coming from European Council President Charles Michel, China’s President Xi, Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, India’s Prime Minister Narenda Modi, and Russia’s President Putin among others. Representatives of Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis have also expressed “deep condolences” for the loss of Raisi. The United Kingdom and United States have yet to comment.

Raisi will be succeeded by his Vice President, Mohammad Mokhber, who will serve an interim term for up to 50 days. Mokhber is reported to be a close associate of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and headed an investment fund linked to the Ayatollah. In a statement, the Iranian government has announced it will continue operations “without disruption”.

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