Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and members of the accompanying delegation, including Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, has been martyred after a helicopter carrying him and his entourage crashed in Varzaqan region in the northwestern province of East Azarbaijan.
Raisi’s helicopter, along with two more copters, was en route to Tabriz City on Sunday after he inaugurated Qiz Qalasi Dam at the border with the Azerbaijan Republic earlier in the day.
The tragic accident has killed President Raisi, FM Amir Abdollahian, Friday prayers leader of Tabriz Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Al-e-Hashem, Governor of East Azarbaijan Malek Rahmati, Head of President’s guard team Mehdi Mousavi as well as members of Raisi’s security team and the crew.
BREAKING: The official announcement of the death of Iran President Raisi at the shrine of Imam Reza pic.twitter.com/cLOsMCUECH
— Sulaiman Ahmed (@ShaykhSulaiman) May 20, 2024
Videos circulated on social media followed up on the search operations.
Rescue teams retrieve the bodies of the Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Abdollahian, and their accompanying delegation after reaching the site of their helicopter crash. pic.twitter.com/XJDeGVbyHU
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) May 20, 2024
The video below shows evacuation of the martyrs’ bodies by rescuers and rangers of the Iranian Army.
After hours of search operations in difficult weather conditions, Head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) Pirhossein Kolivand said on Monday morning that the location of the crashed helicopter carrying President Raisi was spotted.
He added that there was no sign of surviving passengers.
Cabinet Statement
Iran’s Cabinet has issued a statement following the martyrdom of President Raisi and member of the accompanying delegation.
The Iranian cabinet said that the popular president of Iran, Ayatollah Raisi, has been martyred on the birth anniversary of Imam Reza (AS), the eighth Shia Imam.
The indefatigable and hard-working president made the ultimate sacrifice on the path of serving his nation, it added.
The statement went on to note that the figure always took steps to help the country advance.
“We assure our loyal and appreciative and beloved nation that the path of service will continue with the tireless spirit of Ayatollah Raisi, the hero and the servant of the nation and the faithful friend of the leadership, and with the help of God Almighty and cooperation of the honorable people, there will be no shortcoming in the Jihadi management of the country,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, Astan Quds Razavi, the administrative organization which manages the Imam Reza (a.s.) holy shrine mourned President Raisi as “the sincere and selfless servant joins the convoy of martyrs.”
Imam Reza (as) has granted his request: the sincere and selfless servant joins the caravan of martyrs.
We convey our deepest condolences to the families of the former custodian of Astan Quds Razavi, Sayyed Ibrahim Raisi, and his entourage. pic.twitter.com/vElWu8UG42
— Imam Reza Shrine (@ImamRezaEN) May 20, 2024
VP Takes Over
Supreme Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei ordered Vice-president Mohammad Mokhber to take over as interim president.
According to Article 131 of the Constitution of Iran, in case of death, dismissal, resignation, absence, or illness lasting longer than two months of the president, or when his term in office has ended and a new president has not been elected due to some impediments, or similar other circumstances, his vice president shall assume, with the approval of the Leader, the powers and functions of the president.
Spokesman of the Guardian Council in the Islamic Republic Hadi Tahan Nazif said that said that with the Supreme Leader’s approval, a council consisting of the Iranian judiciary chief, parliament speaker, and vice president will take measures to hold elections within 50 days.
The two infographic illustrations which follow give glimpses about Iran’s two late statesmen Ebrahim Raisi and Hossein Amir Abdollahian.
Source: Iranian media and Agencies
