TEHRAN-(MaraviPost)-President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and several others are confirmed to have been killed in Sunday’s helicopter crash in north-western Iran, state TV says.
The helicopter – one of three travelling in a convoy – crashed after it got into difficulties in heavy fog in the north of the country
Raisi was heading to the city of Tabriz, in the north-west of Iran, after returning from a dam opening ceremony on the Azerbaijan border
BBC understand that the late president was a hardline cleric close to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
An election for a new president is due to take place in the next 50 days.
What are world leaders saying?
International leaders have begun sharing their reactions to the news that Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has died. Here’s what they’re saying:
- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has posted on X saying he is “deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic demise” of President Raisi and his nation “stands with Iran” during this “time of sorrow”
- Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said Raisi’s death is a “terrible loss” and his nation would observe a day of mourning
- President of the United Arab Emirates Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan says his country stands with Iran during this time, Reuters news agency reports
- While President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela has praised President Raisi as an unconditional friend and an extraordinary leader
What happens next?
The constitution of the Islamic Republic has a straightforward remedy for instances where a president is incapable of executing his duties due to illness, death or impeachment and removal by parliament.
It tasks the vice-president – in this case, Mohammad Mokhber – to run the affairs of the country and jointly with the heads of parliament and the judiciary oversee an election for a new president within a maximum of 50 days.
This would only happen with the confirmation of the supreme leader, who has the final say in all matters of state in Iran.
With state media confirming that President Ebrahim Raisi has died, the regime in Iran will move to hold such an election – one that is unlikely to gather any more interest among the public than the last one did.
Last time around, all serious challengers to Raisi were barred from running, clearing the path for him to enter office with the lowest number of voters (around 30% of eligible voters), while the majority boycotted what they saw as a fixed election.
Source: BBC News
