Following a helicopter crash in Iran’s mountainous northwest, President Ebrahim Raisi has been confirmed dead, along with eight others, including Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian and provincial officials.
The crash site was discovered in East Azerbaijan province, with rescue efforts hampered by harsh terrain and weather conditions.
The cause of the crash remains unclear, with Iranian state TV offering no immediate explanation. Footage from the scene showed the wreckage in a steep valley, with no survivors found by search teams.
Mohammad Mokhber, Iran’s first vice president, is set to assume interim presidency duties. As news of Raisi’s death spread, an urgent government meeting was convened, with his chair symbolically draped in black as a mark of respect.
International assistance, including a specialist mountain rescue team from Russia, was deployed to aid the search efforts, which involved dozens of teams and detection dogs from Iran’s Red Crescent.
Turkish authorities also provided drone footage suggesting the crash site, located south of the Azerbaijan-Iranian border, amidst rugged terrain.
The tragic incident marks a significant loss for Iran, prompting an outpouring of condolences and tributes from both domestic and foreign sources.
