Tehran, May 20 (EFE).- Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister were killed in a helicopter crash in the country’s mountainous northwest, state media confirmed on Monday, as the process got underway for a new leader.
“The supporter of the world’s oppressed, the servant of the people of Iran, Ayatollah Dr. Seyed Ebrahim Raisi, the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, was martyred on the way to serving the people,” the Iranian government confirmed on X.
Raisi, 63, was returning from a dam-opening ceremony on the Azerbaijian border on Sunday accompanied by Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, East Azerbaijan Governor Malik Rahmati and Tabriz city Friday prayers leader Mohammad Ali Al-Hashem, “who [were] also martyred in the crash,” Tasnim reported.
“Other victims included Maj. Gen. Seyed Mehdi Mousavi, head of the president’s security team, a member of the Ansar al-Mahdi Corps, the helicopter pilot and co-pilot, and a technician,” it added.
IRNA reported that “local officials present at the crash site have confirmed the martyrdom of Raisi and his accompanying team.”
Earlier, after rescue teams reached the crash site in adverse weather and terrain, the head of the Iranian Red Crescent, Pir Hossein Kolivand, announced on Telegram there were no signs of life.
Iran state TV showed footage of the wreckage of the helicopter in a mountainous area, reportedly in the Dizmar forest between the cities of Varzaqan and Jolfa in East Azerbaijan province, as well as images of rescue teams amid dense fog.
PROCESS FOR NEW PRESIDENT BEGINS
After the announcement of the deaths on Monday morning, Vice President Mohammad Mokhber led an emergency cabinet meeting.
In a statement, the cabinet extended condolences to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and citizens, and assured the nation that Raisi’s “path will continue and not even a slight disruption will be caused in administrating the country’s affairs,” Press TV reported.
Khamenei then declared five days of public mourning, and confirmed Mokhber as interim president.
“He is obliged to arrange with the heads of the legislative and judicial branches to elect a new president within a maximum of fifty days,” he said in a statement carried by IRNA.
Article 131 of Iran’s constitution states that a council consisting of the first vice president, the speaker of parliament and the head of the judiciary must prepare for an election.
Mokhber, 68, became vice president with Raisi in 2021. He previously held positions such as overseeing the Execution of Imam Khomeini’s Order, or EIKO , a position that led to him being sanctioned by the United States in 2021.
Meanwhile, authorities have announced a funeral ceremony in Tabriz for Tuesday, in addition to prayers Monday in Tehran and across the country.
OVERNIGHT SEARCH
On Sunday, Raisi had inaugurated a dam with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev on the border between the two countries.
Afterwards, the helicopter in which he was traveling lost contact as it was returning to Tabriz along with two other helicopters that landed safely.
Dozens of rescue teams were deployed in an overnight search, but operations were hindered by bad weather, including rain and dense fog in the mountainous area where the incident occurred, reported the Red Crescent.
Iranian media reported that Raisi’s US-made Bell 212 had been forced to make a “hard landing,” without explaining the cause, but later described the incident as a “crash.”
People have gathered across the country at mosques and shrines in cities including Mashad, Qom and Tehran to pray for the president, according to images broadcast on state television.
Hardliner Raisi came to power in 2021, after winning the presidential election with the lowest turnout in the history of the Islamic Republic and was one of the favorites tipped to succeed Khamenei.
During his government, repression against activists, women and critics of the regime has intensified. EFE
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