Azin Haghighi/AP – Rescue teams are seen on Sunday near the site of the incident of the helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Varzaghan, northwestern Iran.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the country’s foreign minister, and several other officials were declared dead following a helicopter crash, Iranian state media reported on Monday.
The Iranian government convened an emergency meeting after the announcement of Raisi’s death. Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, subsequently named First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber as acting president and declared five days of national mourning.
The crash has left Iran without two key diplomatic figures amid heightened regional tensions due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
Raisi’s Death Marks a Significant Loss for Iran
Raisi, a hard-liner known for his strict stance on dissent, was 63. Alongside him, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, the governor of Iran’s East Azerbaijan province, and other officials also perished in the crash.
State media did not immediately provide a cause for the crash but released images showing the wreckage in a foggy, mountainous area in northern Iran. The helicopter was returning from an event near Iran’s border with Azerbaijan when the crash occurred.
International Reactions and Rescue Efforts
The news prompted immediate reactions from neighboring countries. Pakistan announced a day of mourning, while Russian President Vladimir Putin sent condolences to Supreme Leader Khamenei.
Earlier reports indicated that the president of the Iranian Red Crescent Society confirmed the identification of Raisi’s helicopter. Twenty rescue teams, including drones and dogs, were dispatched to the scene, with Iranian military troops also assisting in the efforts.
The Fars News Agency shared video footage of the dispatched rescue teams. The Iranian government’s X account had earlier posted an image of Raisi with Azerbaijan’s president, Ilham Aliyev, at a dam opening along their shared border.
Raisi’s Legacy and Iran’s Political Future
Elected in 2021, Raisi was a former cleric and judge. Despite his initial commitment to honor Iran’s nuclear deal with the U.S., he was viewed as a hard-liner compared to his predecessor, Hassan Rouhani.
Raisi recently celebrated Iran’s missile attacks on Israel following an airstrike in Damascus that killed seven Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps members. Israel was blamed, though it did not claim responsibility.
While Raisi served as the head of Iran’s government, the country is ultimately ruled by Supreme Leader Khamenei, who controls the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the police force. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, the supreme leader sets national policies and oversees their implementation.
In line with Iran’s constitution, if the president dies in office, the first vice president assumes the role with the supreme leader’s approval, and a new election must be held within 50 days.
MOST KEY POINTS:-
Key Points on the Death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Helicopter Crash
- Incident: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash along with the country’s foreign minister and other officials.
- Announcement: Iranian state media reported the deaths on Monday.
- Emergency Response: The Iranian government held an emergency meeting; Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei named First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber as acting president and declared five days of national mourning.
- Location: The helicopter crashed in a foggy, mountainous area in Varzaghan, northwestern Iran.
- Cause: No immediate cause for the crash was provided.
- International Reaction: Pakistan announced a day of mourning, and Russian President Vladimir Putin sent condolences.
- Rescue Efforts: Twenty rescue teams, including drones and dogs, were dispatched; the Iranian military assisted.
- Political Impact: Raisi, a hard-liner elected in 2021, was a pivotal figure amid ongoing regional tensions.
- Constitutional Protocol: Iran’s constitution dictates that the first vice president takes over as acting president with the supreme leader’s approval, and a new election must be held within 50 days.