Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi’s Helicopter Crashes In The Mountains

Rescuers were having difficulty getting to the scene of the incident on Sunday when a helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister crashed when it was flying over deep fog across mountainous terrain, an Iranian official told Reuters. 

The official stated that Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian’s lives were “at risk following the helicopter crash,” which occurred when they were returning from a trip to the country’s northwest border with Azerbaijan.

The official, who remained anonymous to Reuters, stated, “We stay positive, but the details coming from the crash site are very worrying.”

According to an official statement by state television, at least one passenger and one crew member spoke with the rescuers. Additionally, although the Red Crescent refuted this report, it reported the helicopter had been located.

In an attempt to reassure the population, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say over foreign policy and the country’s nuclear project, stated that there would be no interference in domestic issues.

According to Iranian official media, poor weather contributed to the crash and made rescue efforts more difficult. US-made Bell 212 helicopters are what Raisi was reportedly piloting, according to state news agency IRNA.

The Iranian army’s chief of staff issued an order to employ the whole arsenal, including the elite Revolutionary Guard, for search and rescue missions.

The national network had earlier halted its regular programming to demonstrate the nationwide prayers being held in Raisi’s honor.

It appeared in the early hours of Monday, showing a rescue team crowded over a GPS unit while searching a pitch-black slope on foot in the midst of a heavy blizzard. The squad was dressed in bright jackets and head torches.

“We are meticulously examining every square inch of the crash site,” a provincial army commander was cited by state media as saying. “The local weather is chilly and drizzly. There is the formation of snow as a result of the downpour.”

International Condolences To Iran:  

Many nations sent their sympathies to the President’s helicopter accident and offered to help in the ongoing rescue operations. According to the White House, US President Joe Biden has received information about the accident reports. Turkey declared it had sent out a rescue squad, vehicles, a helicopter, and a drone in response to an Iranian official’s request. Iran was provided with emergency satellite mapping equipment by the European Union to aid in the search.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a post on X said, “Reports about President Raisi’s helicopter ride today deeply worry me. We pray for the President and his entourage’s safety and stand in solidarity with the Iranian people during this difficult time.”

Another post by the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyez quotes, “ We said a kind goodbye to Ebrahim Raisi, the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, today, but we were deeply disturbed to learn that the top delegation’s helicopter had crashed in Iran. We offer President Ebrahim Raisi and the accompanying delegation our prayers in the name of Allah Almighty. The Republic of Azerbaijan, as a friend and neighbor, is ready to provide any kind of support necessary.”

Hardliner, Potential Successor To Khamenei

The crash occurs at a time when Iran’s discontent over a number of political, social, and economic issues is on the rise. International pressure is being applied to Iran’s clerical leadership because of Tehran’s disputed nuclear programme and strengthening military links with Russia amid the conflict in Ukraine.

Conflicts involving organizations affiliated with Iran have erupted across the Middle East ever since Israel’s war on Gaza on October 7th, which was sparked by Hamas, an ally of Iran.

Raisi, 63, who became president in 2021, has violently put an end to anti-government protests, tightened morality regulations, and pushed hard for nuclear talks with other powers. 

Under Iran’s two-party system, which is divided between the government and the clerical establishment, decisions about all significant policies are made by Raisi’s 85-year-old mentor Khamenei, who has been the country’s supreme leader since 1989.

Since Khamenei has supported Raisi’s primary objectives, many have long considered Raisi to be a formidable candidate to succeed him.

Raisi’s triumph in a tightly contested election in 2021 placed hardliners in charge of all branches of government, following eight years of pragmatic Hassan Rouhani’s presidency and a nuclear agreement mediated with the United States.

However, Rais’ reputation may have been damaged by widespread protests against the clerical rule and the failure to turn around Iran’s economy due to Western sanctions. 

Raisi had been at the border with Azerbaijan on Sunday to officially open the joint Qiz-Qalasi Dam. Ilham Aliyev, the president of Azerbaijan, offered assistance in the rescue and said he had addressed a “friendly farewell” to Raisi earlier in the day.