Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi died along with his foreign
minister when his helicopter crashed, state media confirmed on Monday. The
aircraft, which was also carrying other officials, had gone missing in the
mountains of northwestern Iran.
Earlier, state media reported that although the helicopter was located,
"no sign of life" was detected among those on board.
A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and foreign minister
Hossein Amirabdollahian crashed on Sunday while traversing mountainous terrain
in dense fog, an Iranian official speaking anonymously said. The incident
occurred as they were returning from a visit to the Azerbaijan border.
This incident comes at a sensitive time for Iran, as the country grapples with ongoing nuclear negotiations with world powers. The outcome of this event has the potential to significantly impact the political landscape within Iran and reverberate throughout the international community.
World leaders have begun expressing concern over the president's well-being. Several nations have issued statements offering support to Iran during this critical time.
The cause of the accident is still under investigation. Dense fog has been cited as a contributing factor, but a full mechanical inspection of the wreckage will likely be required to determine if there were any underlying technical issues.
Adding to the uncertainty is the lack of communication from Iranian officials. The silence regarding the president's condition and the details of the crash is fueling speculation and anxiety both domestically and abroad.
As the search operation intensifies, the world waits with bated breath for any updates on the fate of President Raisi and the others onboard the ill-fated helicopter. This developing story is sure to dominate the news cycle in the coming hours and days.