Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi (63), who was killed in a helicopter crash, had taken charge of the top post in 2021 and was known for his strict enforcement of morality laws and a severe crackdown on anti-government protests.
Raisi had also been a central figure in nuclear negotiations with global powers. His death comes at a turbulent time for Iran, which faces both internal dissent and international scrutiny over its nuclear ambitions and military alliances. Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei sought to reassure the public, stating that there would be no disruption to state affairs. Khamenei, who has the ultimate authority in Iran, had been a mentor to Raisi and endorsed many of his policies.
Raisi had been visiting the Azerbaijani border on Sunday to inaugurate the Qiz-Qalasi Dam, a joint project with Azerbaijan. President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, who had met Raisi earlier that day, expressed condolences and offered assistance in the rescue efforts.
The crash underscores the challenges facing Iran’s leadership amid political, social, and economic crises, compounded by Western sanctions and recent regional conflicts involving Iran-aligned groups. The death of Raisi, viewed as a potential successor to the 85-year-old Khamenei, leaves a significant void in the country’s hardline leadership.
Raisi and his Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian were killed in the crash in the mountainous terrain of East Azerbaijan province, Iranian officials confirmed on Monday. Search teams discovered the wreckage after battling icy weather conditions through the night. “President Raisi, the Foreign Minister and all the passengers in the helicopter were killed in the crash,” a senior Iranian official said, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the matter.
Iran’s Mehr news agency reported that “all passengers of the helicopter carrying the Iranian President and Foreign Minister were martyred”. The helicopter, a US-made Bell212, reportedly caught fire upon crashing into a mountain peak on Sunday, although the exact cause of the crash remains unknown. State television broadcast images showing the mangled remains of the helicopter on a rugged mountainside.
