According to Iranian media, President Ebrahim Raisi of Iran tragically lost his life in a helicopter accident in East Azerbaijan province on Sunday.
The helicopter, which was carrying President Raisi and his foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, went missing in a mountainous area.
Iran’s state television reported that there were no signs of life among the passengers of the helicopter. This occurrence comes amid heightened tensions in the region, particularly due to the Gaza conflict and Iran’s recent confrontations with Israel. President Raisi, who assumed office in 2021, has reaffirmed Iran’s unwavering support for Palestine, a position reiterated during his recent inauguration speech at a dam.
On Sunday, Iranian state media released videos featuring the leader aboard the helicopter. The footage depicts the Iranian leader gazing out of an aircraft window while the camera reveals several senior officials, including Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, seated opposite him.
Iran is currently required to hold a presidential election within a maximum timeframe of 50 days to select a successor for Raisi. As per Article 131 of Iran’s constitution, a council comprising the first vice president, the speaker of parliament, and the head of the judiciary is responsible for facilitating the process of electing a new president.
A temporary homage has been established in front of the Iranian embassy in Moscow to honour President Ebrahim Raisi, where individuals are respectfully placing flowers. During his routine press briefing, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov shared that President Vladimir Putin extended an invitation to the Iranian ambassador for a discussion after receiving news yesterday about the loss of contact with President Raisi’s helicopter.
