Iran’s president, foreign minister die in helicopter crash

VIctims of the helicopter crash (Report Neews Agency)

TEHRAN: Iran’s eight president Ebrahim Raisi , 63, has died as a helicopter carrying him and his entourage crashed in Varzaqan region in East Azarbaijan Province, northwest of the country.

Raisi’s helicopter, along with two more copters, was en route to Tabriz City on Sunday after he inaugurated Qiz Qalasi Dam at the border with the Azerbaijan Republic earlier in the day, Iranian news agency IRNA has reported.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, East Azarbaijan Province’s Governor Malek Rahmati, the head of Raisi’s guard team Mehdi Mousavi, and the Supreme Leader’s representative in the province Mohammad Ali Al-e-Hashem were also on board.

Local officials present at the crash site confirmed the death of Raisi and his team.

Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi was a religious figure prosecutor, and politician who served as Iran’s head of the judiciary (2019–21) and as the country’s president (2021–24).