Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi is dead. He died in a Bell 212 helicopter crash in northern Iran bordering Azerbaijan. Others killed include Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Ayatollah Al-Hashemi, Imam of the Tabriz Mosque, and Malik Rahmati, Governor of East Azerbaijan Province.
In a post on X, state news agency IRNA confirmed the death of the President.
#Iran‘s President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and a group of officials accompanying them were martyred in a helicopter crash in northwestern Iran.
— IRNA News Agency (@IrnaEnglish) May 20, 2024
Iran’s Ambassador to India, Iraj Elahi tweeted,
President Raeisi, along with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, East Azarbaijan Gov. Malek Rahmati, East Azarbaijan Imam of Friday Prayer Mohammad Ali Ale-Hashem, & several other passengers, has been martyred in a helicopter crash in northwest of Iran. pic.twitter.com/zPWkNpxnKh
— Iran Ambassador Iraj Elahi (@IranAmbIndia) May 20, 2024
India’s Prime Minister Modi said,.
Deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic demise of Dr. Seyed Ebrahim Raisi, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. His contribution to strengthening India-Iran bilateral relationship will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to his family and the people of Iran.…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 20, 2024
Iranian state agency IRNA shared footage showing the wreckage of President Raisi’s helicopter.
The accident happened as the President was returning from Khoda Afarin region in Iran’s northwestern province of East Azerbaijan. That was after he inaugurated a dam at the common border with the Republic of Azerbaijan.
The helicopter, carrying President Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and other officials, lost contact approximately 30 minutes into the flight. Rescue teams frantically hunted for the crash site. They fought blizzards and difficult terrain through the night to reach the wreckage.
🚨🇮🇷 BREAKING: MASSIVE RESCUE EFFORT FOR IRANIAN PRESIDENT’S HELICOPTER
The Iranian president was at the Azerbaijani border to inaugurate the Qiz-Qalasi Dam. He and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev inaugurated the project.
Interestingly, a Turkish drone identified the helicopter’s wreckage. Turkey shared the coordinates of the crash site with Iran.
Raisi had been elected Iran’s president in 2021. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei said in a video statement, “Everyone should pray for the health of this group of servants. … People of Iran, do not worry. There will be no disruption in the work of the country.”
Everyone should pray for health of President & we hope God will return him to arms of the nation pic.twitter.com/9njYc4XQ3d
— Khamenei Media (@Khamenei_m) May 19, 2024
