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President Raisi confirmed death when wreckage was found

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Iran’s president has died in a helicopter crash, the country’s state media confirmed. Ebrahim Raisi died in Sunday’s crash, along with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and other officials and bodyguards.

The state news agency IRNA reported the president’s death on Monday – the helicopter is said to have crashed while crossing mountainous terrain in thick fog. Rescue teams located the crash site on Monday but found no signs of life. Contact with the helicopter was lost on Sunday as it flew through thick fog over mountains in northwestern Iran.

The crash occurred near the town of Jolfa, near the border with Azerbaijan, about 603 km from the Iranian capital Tehran. The Iranian aid group Red Crescent said more than 70 rescue teams had been sent to the area, some using drones and search dogs.

The country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 85, who holds power in Iran, had previously said: “There will be no disruption in Iran’s state affairs.” Raisi, 63, was a hardliner who previously supported the Iranian judiciary was responsible and was considered a future successor as supreme leader.

Vice President Mohammad Mokhber will take over as president shortly after Raisi’s death.

live3 updates

  • Where did the helicopter crash and who was on board?

    Several Iranian officials were on board the helicopter. (Getty Images)Several Iranian officials were on board the helicopter. (Getty Images)

    Several Iranian officials were on board the helicopter. (Getty Images)

    On board the helicopter were Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and other officials.

    The crash occurred near the town of Jolfa, near the border with Azerbaijan, about 603 km from the Iranian capital Tehran.

  • What we know about the death of Ebrahim Raisi

    JABRAYAIL, AZERBAIJAN - MAY 19: (EDITOR'S NOTE: This handout image was provided by a third party organization and may not conform to Getty Images' editorial policies.) In this handout image, it was provided by the Office of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran : Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi meets with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev at the inauguration of the Qiz Qalasi Dam built on the Aras River on the shared border between Iran and Azerbaijan. Afterwards, his helicopter reportedly crashed near the town of Jolfa on the border with Azerbaijan on May 19, 2024 in Jabrayil, Azerbaijan. (Photo from Office of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran via Getty Images)JABRAYAIL, AZERBAIJAN - MAY 19: (EDITOR'S NOTE: This handout image was provided by a third party organization and may not conform to Getty Images' editorial policies.) In this handout image, it was provided by the Office of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran : Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi meets with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev at the inauguration of the Qiz Qalasi Dam built on the Aras River on the shared border between Iran and Azerbaijan. Afterwards, his helicopter reportedly crashed near the town of Jolfa on the border with Azerbaijan on May 19, 2024 in Jabrayil, Azerbaijan. (Photo by Office of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran via Getty Images)

    Ebrahim Raisi. (Getty Images)

    The Guardian has put together a useful breakdown of what we know about the crash so far

    • The government has not yet made an official statement, but state news agency Irna reported that an urgent cabinet meeting had been called and a statement was expected soon.

    • After an hours-long search made difficult by fog and rain, rescuers found the burned-out wreckage of the helicopter on a mountainside. Iranian Red Crescent head Pir Hossein Kolivand said as rescuers approached the wreckage there were “no signs of life.”

    • According to Tasnim news agency, a total of nine people were on board the plane, including East Azerbaijan Governor Malek Rahmati and Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Ale-Hashem, the representative of the Islamic Revolution leader in East Azerbaijan Province.

    Read the full article here

  • Hamas calls Raisi’s death an ‘immense loss’

    The Palestinian military group Hamas paid tribute to Raisi and expressed its “deepest condolences and solidarity” to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the Iranian government and the Iranian people for “this immense loss.”

    She praised Raisi for his support of the Palestinian cause and resistance to Israel and expressed confidence that Iran’s “deep-rooted institutions” will enable it to overcome “the impact of this great loss.”

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