'No sign of life…': Iran President Raisi's helicopter wreckage found
Rescuers on Monday found the missing helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the country's foreign minister, and other officials near the Iran-Azerbaijan border. The chopper had gone missing in the mountainous northwest region of Iran. According to local media reports, "no sign of life" detected among those on board the recovered helicopter.
All passengers feared dead: Report
Rescue teams battled blizzards and challenging terrain throughout the night, finally reaching the wreckage in East Azerbaijan province in the early hours of Monday. "President Raisi's helicopter was completely burned in the crash...unfortunately, all passengers are feared dead," an official told Reuters. Earlier, Pir Hossein Kolivand, head of Iranian Red Crescent Society told state TV, "With the discovery of the crash site, no signs of life have been detected among the helicopter's passengers."
Raisi flying in US-made Bell 212 helicopter
State news agency IRNA reported that Raisi was flying in a United States-made Bell 212 helicopter. The chief of staff of Iran's army had ordered all resources of the army and the elite Revolutionary Guards to be deployed for search and rescue operations. On Sunday, Raisi had been at the Azerbaijani border to inaugurate the Qiz-Qalasi Dam, a joint project.
Raisi's political importance
The incident occurred at a sensitive time for Iran. The country—led by President Raisi and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei—recently launched an unprecedented drone-and-missile attack on Israel. Iran has also enriched uranium to levels closer than ever to weapons-grade. Additionally, the country has been facing years of mass protests against its Shiite theocracy, driven by an ailing economy and women's rights issues. The situation is further complicated by the Israel-Hamas war, which is inflaming tensions across the broader Middle East.
Iran's dual political system
In Iran's dual political system, power is split between the clerical establishment and the government. However, it is the 85-year-old Supreme Leader Khamenei, who has held this position since 1989, that wields decision-making authority on all major policies. For years, many have viewed Raisi as a strong contender to succeed Khamenei, who has endorsed Raisi's main policies.
Closer look at Iran politics
Raisi's victory in a closely managed 2021 election brought all branches of power under hardliner control, following eight years of pragmatist Hassan Rouhani's presidency and a nuclear deal negotiated with major powers, including Washington. However, Raisi's standing has been weakened by widespread protests against clerical rule and his failure to improve Iran's economy, which remains hamstrung by Western sanctions.
