Tehran: Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi (63) died in a helicopter crash. Iran’s state news agency ‘Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) has announced this in its report quoting officials who reached the accident site. However, the Iranian government has not yet confirmed it. It is expected that the government will make an official announcement soon.
Drone finds debris
The debris of Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi’s crashed helicopter has been found in the hills of Azerbaijan. Nine people, including Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, were aboard the helicopter with the President. Reports in Iran’s leading newspaper Tehran Times and Iran International (English edition) have confirmed the discovery of the helicopter debris.
Was returning home after inaugurating a dam
According to the Islamic Republic News Agency, Raisi had gone with Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev to inaugurate a dam on the morning of May 19. While returning, the accident took place in Iran’s Varzeghan city near the Azerbaijan border. Officials say Iranian President Raisi was traveling on a US-made Bell 212 helicopter.
This two-bladed aircraft is a medium-sized helicopter. It can seat 15 people including the pilot. Apart from President Raisi, Foreign Minister Hussain, the helicopter included Governor of East Azerbaijan Province Malik Rahmati, Imam Mohammad Ali Alehshem of Tabriz, a pilot, co-pilot, crew chief, security chief and bodyguards. His helicopter went missing near Azerbaijan at 7:30 pm on Sunday.
The helicopter became a fireball
Iran’s Red Crescent chief Pir-Hossein Kolivand told state television that so far “no sign of life” has been found at the crash site. Rescue units have reached the crash site. Another official has said that the Iranian President’s helicopter was completely burned in the accident. The chances of survival of anyone aboard this helicopter have diminished. Local officials present at the accident site have confirmed the martyrdom of Raisi and those traveling with him. The Iranian government will issue an official statement soon.
Snapshot on Ibrahim Raisi
Raisi was born in 1960 in the city of Mashhad in northeastern Iran. Raisi’s father was a cleric. His father died when Raisi was five years old. He was also a religious scholar and lawyer. When Ebrahim Raisi took power in Iran in June 2021, he faced many challenges at the domestic level. At the age of 20, he was appointed Prosecutor General of Karaj, located near Tehran. Raisi was the Prosecutor General of Tehran between 1989 and 1994 and then the Deputy Head of the Judicial Authority for a decade from 2004. In the year 2014, he was made the Prosecutor General of Iran.
