Iranian state media has reported the tragic death of President Ebrahim Raisi following a helicopter crash in an eastern province amid poor weather conditions.
The incident was confirmed after rescuers from the Iranian Red Crescent discovered the helicopter’s wreckage. Reports indicated “no sign of life” among the passengers.
The rescue teams faced challenging conditions, including dense fog, blizzards, and rugged mountainous terrain, as they reached the crash site in East Azerbaijan province early Monday.
The cause of the crash remains undetermined, according to state television.
Alongside President Raisi, the helicopter was carrying Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, the governor of East Azerbaijan province, and other officials and bodyguards, as reported by the state-run IRNA news agency.
“President Raisi’s helicopter was completely burned in the crash … unfortunately, all passengers are feared dead,” the Reuters news agency reported, citing an unnamed Iranian official.
The 63-year-old Raisi was elected in 2021 on his second attempt. During his presidency, he tightened morality laws, cracked down on antigovernment protests sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in custody, and took a tougher stance in nuclear talks with world powers.
In April, he ordered a drone-and-missile attack on Israel following an alleged Israeli strike on Iran’s consulate in Damascus, which killed 13 people, including a top commander and his deputy.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reassured Iranians, saying there would be no disruption to state affairs.
The helicopter crash occurred as Raisi was returning to Tehran from a trip. State media initially reported a “hard landing” near Jolfa, but later stated the crash site was near the village of Uzi, with details remaining contradictory.
Turkish authorities released drone footage showing a suspected fire, possibly the wreckage, 20km south of the Azerbaijan-Iranian border. Iranian media showed soldiers confirming the crash site, stating, “There it is, we found it.” State TV later reported “no sign of life from people on board.”
Under the Iranian Constitution, if confirmed dead, Iran’s vice president takes over and a new election is called within 50 days.
First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber has begun receiving calls from officials and foreign governments in Raisi’s absence.
Raisi, a hardliner and former judiciary leader, is seen as a protege of Ayatollah Khamenei.
