SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region — Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has been confirmed dead in a helicopter crash in a mountainous region in the northwest of the country on Sunday, as reported by Iranian state media.
Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, alongside the governor of East Azerbaijan and the province’s main imam, were also on board. All passengers have been confirmed dead.
The Iranian Red Crescent has confirmed that the bodies of all the victims have been recovered and will be transported to Tehran.
Rescue teams had been searching the area diligently since Sunday afternoon, following the disappearance of a helicopter carrying Raisi, the foreign minister, and several other officials. However, adverse weather conditions impeded efforts to locate the crash site until Monday morning.
Concerned expressions and offers of assistance poured in from overseas, with support coming from countries such as Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Russia, China, and Turkey. Additionally, the European Union activated its rapid response mapping service to contribute to the search efforts.
On early Monday, Iran’s Red Crescent chief, Pirhossein Koolivand, announced that rescue teams had located the helicopter and were en route to the site.
State TV reported that there were “no signs” of life among the passengers.
Local media have shared several images depicting what seemed to be the wreckage of the aircraft.
After confirming President Ebrahim Raisi’s death in a helicopter crash, the Iranian government declared on Monday that it will persist in functioning “without the slightest disruption.”
In a cabinet statement, it reassured the devoted nation that the journey of serving the people will persevere with the unwavering spirit exemplified by Ayatollah Raisi. The statement emphasized that governmental operations will remain seamless and uninterrupted.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reassured Iranians, advising them not to be concerned about the leadership of the Islamic Republic. He affirmed that there will be no interruption in the country’s operations.
