Videos and photos have confirmed the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi after his helicopter crashed in a remote region of the country. The official cause of the chopper’s crash has not been given by the authorities, although bad weather remains a widely suspected cause.
Raisi’s body was identified early on Monday by rescuers who had begun a search in the mountainous northwest of Iran near the border with Azerbaijan the previous afternoon. Videos and photos are below.
Elected president in 2021, since taking office Raisi had ordered a tightening of morality laws, overseen a crackdown on antigovernment protests, and pushed back hard in talks with world powers regarding international oversight of Tehran’s nuclear program.
Raisi was seen as next in line to supreme religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and he also led Iran to an allegiance to Russia’s President Putin, as one of the top countries and founding members of BRICS.
Ali Khamenei, who holds ultimate power, has sought to reassure the country that there will be no disruption to state affairs.
Iran must now act fast as tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate.
Israel’s war in Gaza has prompted lower-level conflicts with Iran-backed groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen. Last month, Iran and Israel swapped direct strikes at one another.
Several countries had expressed concern and offered assistance during the search for Raisi.
The White House said US President Joe Biden had been briefed on reports about the crash. China said it was deeply concerned. The European Union offered emergency satellite mapping technology.
He is survived by his wife and two daughters.
Ebrahim Raisi’s death was also met with celebration both within the people of Iran and other countries. Footages of people celebrating and letting out fireworks even before the news of his death was confirmed flooded social media, under the tag “The Butcher Of Tehran” and “Chopper Day.