TEHRAN. Iran has confirmed the deaths of its President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hussein Amirabdollahian. They’ve both been in it helicopter that has been missing since Sunday and crashed over rugged terrain in the north of the country used to be. According to state television, “there were no signs that the passengers were still alive.”
After more than twelve hours of searching in fog and rain, rescuers discovered the helicopter. A Turkish drone had previously discovered a heat source on a steep slope of a hill. The Turks passed on the coordinates to Iran, which then discovered the accident site with a camera drone.
Seven other passengers were killed with 63-year-old Raisi and Amirabdollahian, including the governor and the Friday preacher from the provincial capital Tabris. In a video, rescuers describe the helicopter’s cabin as “completely burned out.”
Iran: “Raisi dies a martyr’s death”
State news agency Irna and state television subsequently confirmed the total of nine deaths. Accordingly, Raisi met with an accident “while serving the Iranian people and fulfilling his duty, and was martyred.” The crash site is located near Jolfa in the border area with Azerbaijan.
Raisi and Amirabdollahian opened a dam in the border area of both countries on Sunday with the neighboring country’s president, Ilham Aliyev. On the return journey to the capital Tehran, more than 600 kilometers away, the Iranian delegation boarded three helicopters. While the other two returned safely, there was initially no sign of the presidential helicopter.
What’s next in Iran?
The Iranian regime now gathered in Tehran for an unscheduled cabinet meeting. First Vice President Mohammed Mochber chaired the evening meeting. As a result of Raisi’s death, he is now acting president according to the constitution. New elections must take place within fifty days.
It is unclear who will succeed Raisi, who, as a ruthless former prosecutor, is responsible for numerous executions of opponents of the regime and is therefore sometimes called the ‘Butcher of Tehran’. The religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei plays a crucial role in this. The 85-year-old had also previously chosen Raisi. (fh)