Iranian President, Foreign Minister Killed In Chopper Crash

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the country’s foreign minister, and others were found dead Monday hours after their helicopter crashed in a foggy, mountainous region of the country’s northwest, state media reported.

The crash that killed Raisi comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East due to the Israel-Hamas war. I Photo: khamenei.ir Wikimedia Commons

Raisi was 63, John Gambrell and Nasser Karimi reported for the Associated Press (AP).

The crash comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East due to the Israel-Hamas war. Recently, Raisi, under Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, launched an unprecedented drone-and-missile attack on Israel.

During his tenure, Iran enriched uranium closer to weapons-grade levels, further escalating tensions with the West.

Tehran also supplied bomb-carrying drones to Russia for its war in Ukraine and armed militia groups across the region.

Iran has faced years of mass protests against its Shiite theocracy due to economic struggles and women's rights issues, making this a particularly sensitive time for Tehran.

Among the dead was Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, 60.

The helicopter also carried the governor of East Azerbaijan province, other officials, and bodyguards, the state-run IRNA news agency reported. State TV provided no immediate cause for the crash.