Amid the ongoing tension in the Middle East, a tragic helicopter crash killed 9 people, including Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Amir Abdullahian. Their survival was in doubt ever since the helicopter went missing on Sunday. Finally, that fear came true. After more than 15 hours of the accident, the bodies of Raisi and others were recovered on Monday morning.
The death of the president of Iran, one of the most powerful countries in the Middle East, has cast a shadow of mourning around the world, including the Middle East. World leaders paid their respects to him. The accident happened amid the ongoing tension between Iran and Israel.
Experts believe that Raisi’s death will affect the geopolitics of the Middle East. However, even if two of the country’s top politicians died in the same accident, analysts believe that Iran will be able to overcome this shock.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei announced five days of mourning in memory of the president in a statement. Raisi’s funeral will be held in Tabriz on Tuesday. Along with the President, his dead companions will also be buried there. Before this, their bodies will be kept in the forensic department of Tabriz.
Search teams found the wreckage of the helicopter carrying President Raisi in the mountainous and snow-covered area of East Azerbaijan province yesterday morning. Earlier, a drone sent by Turkey detected a ‘heat source’ (hot spot) in the area where the helicopter crashed.
Others killed in the crash were the provincial governor of East Azerbaijan and an imam, three crew members and two bodyguards.
President Raisi inaugurated two dams near the Azerbaijan border on Sunday. After that, he was going to the city of Tabriz in the north-west of Iran by helicopter. The helicopter crashed 50 km away from Tabriz. But heavy fog made search operations difficult. The President’s fleet had a total of three helicopters. The other two helicopters landed safely. As a result, many are raising questions about Raisi’s death, whether it was a planned murder.
People inside the helicopter with the president were able to make an emergency call. The home minister confirmed to local media that radio contact was made with the helicopter. But he did not give any further explanation.
The crash site is located in the remote western mountains of Iran. At the time of the accident, the area was shrouded in thick fog. Because of this, it took a long time to confirm the helicopter passengers including the President.
Radio communication with the helicopter was lost on Sunday afternoon. However, rescuers found the wreckage shortly after sunrise on Monday. Earlier, hundreds of rescue workers conducted search operations throughout the night.
A team eventually reached the crash site near a steep and damp slope covered in sparse mountain forest. There was still heavy fog and drizzle. They find the wreckage of the blue and white helicopter near a small village.
Mohammad Ali Al-Hashem was among the helicopter passengers. He was the Juma Imam of Tabriz. In addition, he was the representative of the supreme leader. The head of Iran’s Crisis Management Agency, Mohammad Nami, said that Hashem survived an hour after the accident. He even tried to contact the President’s office.
Raisi was in neighboring Azerbaijan a day earlier. He went to inaugurate the dam with the President of the country, Ilham Aliyev.
Raisi, 63, was elected president in 2021 and has ordered a tightening of the country’s morality laws since taking office. He is considered a radical religious leader. Because of this, he has faced massive protests against the government.
Many believed he was grooming himself to succeed Khamenei as Iran’s supreme leader. In 2019, the Supreme Leader appointed him to the powerful post of Head of the Judiciary. Raisi was also elected as the Deputy Chairman of the Assembly of Experts. In Iran, this 88-member board will elect the country’s next supreme leader.
Raisick was carrying a Bell 212 model helicopter. It is made in the USA. After the 1979 revolution in Iran, the US was not supposed to sell these helicopters. As such it is at least 45 years old. Iran cannot buy new helicopters or aircraft parts due to US sanctions. As a result, the country’s aircraft fleet is dilapidated. Sometimes those planes get into accidents. About 2,000 people have died in plane crashes in Iran since 1979.
Interim President Mokhbar
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has approved the name of Mohammad Mokhbar as Iran’s interim president. He took charge yesterday. According to Iran’s constitution, Mokhbar will serve for about two months. Meanwhile, the presidential election will be held.
After Raisi came to power in the 2021 election, Mokhbar was appointed First Vice President. The 68-year-old diplomat is known to be close to Khamenei.
New foreign administration
Prime Minister Ali Bagheri Kani of the political political power as the new foreign state of the Deep. Fourteen Foreign Minister Hossein Ami Abd Neta called the local administration initiative ‘detailed’. He was the first journalist to be seen participating in an open tripartite agreement between Iraq and the United States.
Abd Polisian was closely related to the Revolutionary Guards of Ghabid. He had a close relationship with Kasem Soleiman in particular. He was in contact with the middle east proxy plapl.
What’s next
Rae will proceed to the elections as in the past, following the progress of Syria. Not much more than that to generate interest among ordinary people.
The last few raisers were protected from election by parties. Raisi is in power to get the lowest number of votes. 30 percent of the total voters support the newly elected candidate. Pageno boycotted the majority of the election’s mass media.
