Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian have been killed in a helicopter crash in the steep and freezing terrain of East Azerbaijan province, multiple Iranian news agencies reported on Monday. Search teams discovered the charred wreckage of the helicopter they were traveling in.
A senior Iranian official, speaking to Reuters on the condition of anonymity, confirmed, “President Raisi, the foreign minister, and all passengers in the helicopter were killed in the crash.”
Iran’s Mehr news agency stated, “All passengers of the helicopter carrying the Iranian president and foreign minister were martyred.” The helicopter carrying Raisi and Amirabdollahian was completely burned in the crash on Sunday, according to an earlier statement to Reuters by an Iranian official.
While there was no official word on the cause of the crash, State TV reported that images from the scene showed the aircraft had collided with a mountain peak.
The head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) reported no survivors at the crash site. “No trace of survivors has been seen after the discovery of the site of the crashed helicopter,” said Pir-Hossein Kolivand in an interview with the semi-official Tasnim news agency early on Monday.
Iranian Vice President Mohsen Mansouri and state television later confirmed Raisi’s death in official statements. The helicopter crash occurred in the northern region of East Azerbaijan Province, killing all on board, including President Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian.
Footage from the scene showed the wreckage discovered by a volunteer drone team from the Relief & Rescue Organization of the Red Crescent.
Initial media reports indicated that one of the three helicopters in President Raisi’s convoy encountered difficulties while traveling between Khodaafarin and Tabriz. The crash happened in the Dizmar forest and mountainous district, between the villages of Uzi and Pir Dawood, amid heavy fog and rain.
The crash was attributed to severe weather conditions. Thick fog and persistent rain significantly impaired visibility and flight safety, leading to the incident. Initial reports suggested the helicopter had made a hard landing due to adverse weather, but follow-up reports confirmed it had indeed crashed.
Who was on board?
– Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi
– Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian
– East Azerbaijan Governor Malek Rahmati
– Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Ale-Hashem, representative of the Iranian supreme leader to East Azerbaijan
Earlier in the day, President Raisi had met with his Azeri counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, to inaugurate a dam, marking a significant milestone in bilateral cooperation between the two nations.
Following the inauguration, President Raisi was traveling to visit several provinces in the north when the helicopter encountered severe fog, forcing the pilot to attempt a swift landing.
Iranian political analyst Mohammad Marandi explained that Raisi was known for his frequent travels across the country, aiming to visit each of Iran’s 30 provinces at least once a year. “The president was on the move, as he often is, to connect with people and address regional issues,” Marandi said.
Iranian President Raisi as a Potential Future Supreme Leader
The 63-year-old Raisi was elected president on his second attempt in 2021. Since taking office, he had tightened morality laws, overseen a bloody crackdown on anti-government protests, and pushed hard in nuclear talks with world powers.
In Iran’s dual political system, which is split between the clerical establishment and the government, it is the supreme leader who has the final say on all major policies, rather than the president. Raisi was considered a potential future Supreme Leader, a position of ultimate authority in the country.
However, many see Raisi as a strong contender to succeed his 85-year-old mentor, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has strongly endorsed Raisi’s main policies.
Vice President to Take Over
The Iranian constitution stipulates that the first vice president, currently Mohammad Mokhber, would assume the role of president with the approval of the supreme leader.
In the Iranian political hierarchy, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is the head of state, while the president is considered the head of the government, the second-in-command.
When the second-in-command is dead, then the first vice president is going to be in charge and in 50 days the country needs to go to an election to elect a new president.
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