Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi Confirmed Dead After Helicopter Crash in Mountainous Region. A helicopter carrying Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and other officials was involved in a “crash upon landing” in the mountainous Varzaqan region on Sunday, according to state media IRNA. The crash happened under poor weather conditions.
Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, East Azerbaijan province Governor Malek Rahmati, and others were also on board the convoy, which included three helicopters. The other two helicopters landed safely.
The accident occurred as Raisi was returning from a visit to East Azerbaijan province, where he inaugurated a dam project along with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, on the border between the two countries. This visit came despite tensions between the two countries.
Rescuers on Monday found a helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the country’s foreign minister, and other officials. The helicopter had crashed in the mountains in northwest Iran the day before. State media reported that no signs of life were detected.
The helicopter was spotted from a distance of about 2 kilometers (1.25 miles) by rescuers as the sun rose on Monday, according to Pir Hossein Kolivand, head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society. He did not provide further details. The officials had been missing for over 12 hours by then.
Early Monday morning, Turkish authorities released drone footage showing what they suspected was helicopter wreckage, including a fire in the wilderness. The coordinates placed the fire about 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of the Azerbaijan-Iran border on a steep mountain.
IRNA footage showed the crash site across a valley in a green mountain range. Soldiers speaking in Azeri said, “There it is, we found it.” State TV later confirmed there were no signs of life on board, using a small drone to survey the site.
According to the Iranian constitution, if the president dies, the first vice president takes over with Khamenei’s assent, and a new election is called within 50 days. First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber was already receiving calls from officials and foreign governments in Raisi’s absence.
Iran uses various helicopters, but international sanctions make it hard to get parts. Its military air fleet dates back to before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. IRNA showed images of Raisi taking off in a Bell helicopter with a blue-and-white paint scheme.
Ebrahim Raisi was born in Mashhad, a city in northeastern Iran that is a significant religious hub for Shia Muslims. He pursued religious education and trained at the seminary in Qom, studying under prominent scholars, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Like the supreme leader, Raisi wore a black turban, indicating that he was a sayyid—a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad. This status holds particular significance among Twelver Shia Muslims.
The late president won the 2021 presidential election, which had the lowest turnout in the Islamic Republic’s history. He is sanctioned by the US for his role in the mass execution of political prisoners in 1988.
Under Raisi, Iran enriches uranium close to weapons-grade levels and obstructs international inspections. Iran has supported Russia in its war against Ukraine.
He vowed revenge against Israel after it destroyed Tehran’s consulate building in Syria and killed seven members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including two generals. He supported Iran’s response, which involved launching hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel. Although most were intercepted by a coalition of Israeli allies, Iran claimed the operation was a success overall.
