Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian were killed in a tragic helicopter crash near Iran’s East Azerbaijan province, state media confirmed on Monday.
The helicopter carrying President Raisi, Foreign Minister Abdollahian, and other officials made a “hard landing” on Sunday afternoon. Despite Iran’s swift deployment of rescue teams, the dense fog and adverse weather conditions hampered the search efforts. The wreckage was eventually found in the early hours of Monday, but there were no signs of life at the crash site.
The crash occurred near the Sungun copper mine, located between Jolfa and Varzaghan in East Azerbaijan province, approximately 70 km from Tabriz. Governor of East Azerbaijan Province Malek Rahmati and Tabriz’s Friday prayers leader Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Ale-Hashem were also aboard the helicopter.
Following President Raisi’s death, Vice President Mohammad Mokhber will oversee the country’s affairs until a new presidential election is held. According to the Constitution of the Islamic Republic, the vice president assumes this role if the president is unable to perform his duties due to illness, death, or impeachment and removal by Parliament.
