The helicopter carrying several high-ranking Iranian officials, including President Ebrahim Raisi, which crashed on Sunday, has resulted in the death of all on board.
The victims in the crash in the crowd include; President Ebrahim Raisi; Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian; Governor of Eastern Azerbaijan Province Malek Rahmati; Imam Mohammad Ali Alehashem of Tabriz; the Pilot and Copilot; the crew chief and the Head of Security and Bodyguard.
The death was confirmed by the Head of the Red Crescent Society.
“Upon discovering the location of the crashed helicopter, no signs of the helicopter’s occupants being alive were observed.” He said.
The death of Raisi signals chaos and panic. Iran doesn’t appear like a country in which presidents die by accident, although, due to the sorry state of infrastructure in the internationally isolated Islamic Republic, aircraft crashes.
It is now obscene that the extremely political Iranian President was killed along with other officials.
The death of President Raisi comes at a sensitive time domestically for Iran and seven months into Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza that has sent tensions soaring throughout the Middle East.
Following the official death announcement, next in line of presidential succession is Vice President Mohammad Mokhber, who must be approved by Khamenei, the final arbiter of domestic and foreign affairs in the Islamic Republic.