Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian were confirmed dead in the early hours of Monday, after a difficult search and rescue operation to a helicopter crash site in the Varzaqan region of East Azerbaijan province.
The Imam of Tabriz Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Al-e-Hashem and the Governor of East Azerbaijan Province Malek Rahmati were also killed in the crash, along with security personnel and crew.
The fatal ‘hard landing’ occurred as the pilot negotiated dense fog in the perilous mountainous Azerbaijani border region, carrying passengers Raisi and his entourage on their return from a dam inauguration. Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi stated that visibility had been reduced to 5-6 metres. Two of the three-helicopter convoy returned safely.
While rescue teams were searching for the crash site on Sunday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei assured the nation that state affairs would continue uninterrupted.
“Our people should not worry. There will be no interruption in the state affairs of Iran,” Khamenei stated.
According to Iran’s state news agency MEHR, a new president will be elected within 50 days, with Vice President Mohammad Mokhber temporarily taking charge of the cabinet at Khamenei’s discretion.