Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi died in a deadly helicopter crash in east Azerbaijan Province of Iran yesterday. His mortal remains were discovered by a rescue team today. While the cause of the crash is yet to be determined, experts say the bad weather could have been a factor. Initial investigation has revealed that Raisi’s helicopter made a hard landing. They are also pointing out that President Raisi and his team were flying in a decades-old chopper. No one aboard the chopper survived the crash, including Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, a cleric and five of Raisi’s close aides. Raisi was a hardline ruler, and a close aide to Iran’s Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. After Raisi’s departure, Khamenei announced a five-day national mourning period for Iran, and said that the regime will continue to operate “without any disruptions”. He has also appointed Vice President Mohammad Mokhber to serve as Iran’s interim President until the next Presidential elections in the regime. On Vantage, Palki Sharma brings you a detailed report on Raisi’s death and what it could mean for Iran.
