Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian tragically died in a helicopter crash in the northwestern province of East Azarbaijan.
The incident occurred on Sunday when the helicopter carrying President Raisi, Amir-Abdollahian, East Azarbaijan Governor Malek Rahmati, Friday Prayers leader Seyyed Mohammad Ali Al-e Hashem, and others crashed in the Dizmar forest, situated between Varzaqan and Jolfa cities.
The delegation, including President Raisi, had been returning from a ceremony to inaugurate a dam on the Aras River with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev.
Following the devastating news, Iran’s cabinet convened an emergency session, led by Vice President Mohammad Mokhber, to address the situation. In a statement, the cabinet extended condolences to Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and the Iranian nation, assuring them that President Raisi’s vision would continue without interruption.
Ayatollah Khamenei echoed this sentiment, urging the nation not to worry, affirming that the country’s operations would proceed smoothly despite the loss.
Rescue teams, led by the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS), quickly located the wreckage, concluding the search operation for the victims’ bodies. The bodies are now being transferred to the provincial capital of Tabriz for further proceedings.
