Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister were killed in a helicopter crash in mountainous and icy conditions, an Iranian official announced on Monday. Search teams found the wreckage in East Azerbaijan province.
"President Raisi, the foreign minister, and all passengers on the helicopter were killed," the official told Reuters, requesting anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the incident. Mehr news agency confirmed the deaths, stating, "All passengers of the helicopter carrying the Iranian president and foreign minister were martyred." Earlier, an Iranian official told Reuters the helicopter, which carried Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, was completely burned in the Sunday crash. State TV showed images of the aircraft crashed into a mountain peak, though the cause of the crash remains unknown. Rescue teams braved blizzards and challenging terrain to reach the wreckage in East Azerbaijan province early Monday. "We see the wreckage, and the situation looks dire," said Pirhossein Kolivand, head of Iran’s Red Crescent, on state TV. "No signs of life have been detected among the helicopter’s passengers." Raisi, 63, elected in 2021, tightened morality laws, cracked down on protests, and pushed hard in nuclear talks. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reassured Iranians that state affairs would continue without disruption. A Turkish drone had identified the heat source suspected to be the wreckage and shared the coordinates with Iranian authorities, Anadolu news agency reported. State news agency IRNA mentioned Raisi was flying in a US-made Bell 212 helicopter. The chief of staff of Iran’s army ordered all military resources for search and rescue operations. National broadcaster halted regular programming to broadcast prayers for Raisi across the country. In the early hours of Monday, rescue teams, wearing bright jackets and head torches, searched a pitch-black mountainside in a blizzard. "We are thoroughly searching every inch of the crash area," state media quoted a regional army commander. "The weather is very cold, rainy, and foggy, with rain turning into snow." Several countries expressed concern and offered assistance. The White House said President Joe Biden was briefed on the crash. China expressed deep concern, and the EU offered emergency satellite mapping technology. The crash occurred amid rising dissent in Iran over political, social, and economic crises. Iran’s clerical rulers face international pressure over its nuclear program and military ties with Russia. Since Iran's ally Hamas attacked Israel on Oct 7, sparking Israel's assault on Gaza, conflicts involving Iran-aligned groups have increased across the Middle East. In Iran’s dual political system, Supreme Leader Khamenei holds ultimate decision-making power. Raisi has been seen as a potential successor to Khamenei, who endorsed Raisi’s policies. Raisi’s 2021 election brought hardliners to power, but widespread protests and economic struggles have dented his standing. Raisi had been at the Azerbaijani border on Sunday to inaugurate the Qiz-Qalasi Dam. Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev, who bid a "friendly farewell" to Raisi earlier, offered assistance in the rescue.
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