Iran’s President Killed in Helicopter Crash

On Monday morning, Iran’s state media confirmed that President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian died when their helicopter crashed on Sunday. The wreckage was discovered Monday morning and there were no survivors from the crash.

President Raisi was returning from a visit to Azerbaijan where he participated in the inauguration ceremony of a dam built jointly by Iran and Azerbaijan on the Aras River. His helicopter was one of three flying together. The weather was very poor with dense fog, but the other two helicopters reached their destination safely.

The BBC’s Internation Editor, Jeremy Bowen, suggested that mechanical failure was quite likely because years of sanctions on Iran have rendered many aircraft unsafe due to lack of spare parts and new airframes.

Rumours did spread on social media through Sunday night and Monday morning alleging Mossad involvement in the helicopter crash. But while there has been no government reaction from Jerusalem, an official who wished to stay anonymous stated simply on Monday,

"It wasn’t us."

For many people President Raisi’s death might raise hopes that his replacement may increase the prospects for peace in the Middle East by reducing Iran’s support for terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. However, experts say that is unlikely because Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, is the one driving foreign policy, supported by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.

This report by the BBC: