Ebrahim Raisi . Image: commons.wikimedia.org
Iran's President Raisi killed in helicopter crash
TEHRAN, May 20, 2024
Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi has been killed in a helicopter crash in Varzaqan region in East Azarbaijan Province, northwest of the country, state media has confirmed.
Raisi, the eighth president of Iran, has been martyred after a helicopter carrying him and his entourage crashed, Irna said.
Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian was also killed in Sunday's crash, along with several others.
East Azarbaijan Province’s Governor Malek Rahmati, and Mehdi Mousavi, the head of Raisi’s guard team were on board the crashed aircraft as well. Mohammad Ali Al-e-Hashem, the Supreme Leader’s representative in the province also accompanied them.
Raisi’s helicopter, along with two more copters, was en route to Tabriz City on Sunday after he inaugurated Qiz Qalasi Dam at the border with the Azerbaijan Republic earlier in the day, Irna said.
Earlier rescuers who reached the crash site in north-western Iran said there was "no sign of life" there.
The helicopter crashed after it got into difficulties in heavy fog in the north of the country
The Iranian government will soon release an official statement, it said.
Earlier, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei reacting to the news of the helicopter crash expressed sadness about the worrisome incident for the president and his entourage.
The leader said, however, that the Iranian people should stay calm and be confident that the incident would not impact the country’s routine operations.
“The Iranian nation shouldn’t be worried. There will be no disruption to the operations of the country,” said Ayatollah Khamenei.
