Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi was returning from the Iranian border with Azerbaijan, after signing the Qiz-Qalasi Dam project with the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev when his helicopter crashed.
The news of the crash was first confirmed by the state channel, which claimed that the helicopter had suffered a “hard landing”.
The president was not alone during the crash, traveling with him were Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Iran’s East Azerbaijan Province Governor Malek Rahmati, and Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Ale-Hashem, the representative of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to East Azerbaijan, according to state media.
The helicopter fell in the Dizmar Protected Area, near the village of Uzi. According to state television, Dizmar experienced a sudden blizzard, leading to the crash.
The helicopter, which was reported to have crashed on Sunday, was found early this Monday after an overnight search in the blizzard.
An official Iranian source told Reuters, “President Raisi, the foreign minister, and all the passengers in the helicopter were killed in the crash”
Later, Vice President Mohsen Mansouri confirmed Raisi’s passing on state television and in a social media statement.
According to the Iranian Red Crescent, the remains of Raisi and the other crash victims have been found and search efforts have come to a conclusion.
The exact cause of the crash remains unknown. However, according to State TV, the only information they have regarding the crash are images from the scene showing the aircraft colliding with a mountain peak.
President Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto took to Twitter to offer their condolences for the late leader.
Additionally, Ishaq Dar said “Today Ummah has lost a great statesman. Pakistan has lost a true friend.”
Indian Prime Minister Narinder Modi, also tweeted that he was “s “deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic demise” of Raisi.
Who was President Ebrahim Raisi?
The 63-year-old politician became Iran’s President in 2021. Raisi began studying at the renowned religious seminary Qom, at the age of 15.
At the age of only 20, he was named the Prosecutor General of Karaj, a city opposite Tehran.
His administration approved an unexpected restoration in relations with Iran’s fierce adversary, Saudi Arabia, in March 2023—seven years after they had cut diplomatic ties.
Since the beginning of the Gaza War in October, Raisi had made numerous statements denouncing the “genocide” and “massacres” that Israel is carrying out against the Palestinian people and urged the international community to step in. In April 2024, Iran fired countless missiles and rockets at Israel.
In addition, he declared that the people of Iran and Azerbaijan are one and support Palestine against the Zionist regime, stressing that Palestine is the most significant problem for the Muslim community.
President Ebrahim Raisi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif agreed to strengthen their commercial partnership and boost bilateral ties by $10 billion over the course of the next five years during his visit to Pakistan.
What’s Next for the Iranian Office?
Mohammad Mokbar, the vice president of Iran is set to become interim president following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi.
As acting president, Mokhber is a member of a three-person council that, in addition to the speaker of the parliament and the head of the judiciary, will arrange a new presidential election within 50 days following the president’s passing.
