Iranian president, foreign minister confirmed dead in chopper crash

FILE: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. (Photo By Duma.gov.ru/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0)

ANKARA – Tehran on Monday confirmed the deaths of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and other officials in a helicopter crash in the country’s northwestern province.

Iranian Deputy President for Executive Affairs Mohsen Mansouri said in a statement on his X that all on board, including the president, foreign minister, accompanying delegation, and helicopter crew, died.

Earlier, Iranian state media also confirmed the deaths of the president and all on board the helicopter that crashed in a mountainous area of East Azerbaijan Province on Sunday afternoon.

The helicopter was also carrying Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, East Azerbaijan Province Governor Malik Rahmeti, and Tabriz Province Imam Ayatollah Ali Hashim. 

Dozens of emergency rescue teams were dispatched to the mountainous area, and the wreckage was found after hours of search operation in which a Turkish Akinci drone helped to locate the crash site.

According to the Iranian Constitution, the first vice president – Mohammad Mokhber – will assume powers of the presidency, and elections be held within 50 days. (Anadolu)