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Iran’s president Ebrahim Raisi has been confirmed dead in a helicopter crash carrying him and other officials.
President Raisi was reportedly visiting neighboring Azerbaijan, when the incident occurred. The helicopter was part of a convoy of three. Two was carrying ministers and officials who arrived at their destination safely, reports Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency.
Raisi, 63, who represents conservative and hardline forces in Iranian politics, has been the president for almost four years and was expected to run for re-election next year.
Iranian media reported that President Raisi was traveling with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian who also died in the accident. The crashed helicopter was located after several efforts from rescue teams on Sunday afternoon.
The chopper was reportedly located on early Monday, confirming the president’s death. Tasnim reports that a total of nine people were on board the aircraft.
According to reports by Aljazeera, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has confirmed First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber as Iran’s acting President following Raisi’s death.
President Raisi was born and raised in Mashhad in northeastern Iran, a religious hub for Shia Muslims. He had his religious education and was trained at the seminary in Qom, studying under prominent scholars.
Raisi initially ran for president in 2017, but lost to former president Hassan Rouhani. In 2019, he was appointed by Khamenei as the new head of the Iranian judiciary system and was seen as a headliner, presenting himself as a defender against corruption.
In 2021, he became president with 62% of the vote in his favor.
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