Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian were confirmed dead on Monday after their helicopter crashed in a mountainous region of the country’s northwest, Iranian state media reported.
The tragic incident occurred when the helicopter carrying the officials made a “hard landing” near Jolfa, a city on the border with Azerbaijan. The crash site was located across a steep valley, with rescuers spotting the wreckage from a distance of roughly 1.25 miles as the sun rose on Monday.
Details surrounding the crash remained unclear, with some officials describing it as a “crash” while others referred to it as a “hard landing” or an “incident.” Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi attributed the forced landing to bad weather and fog.
The loss of Raisi and Amir-Abdollahian comes at a critical time for Iran, as the country recently launched a drone-and-missile attack against Israel and has been facing widespread protests against its government.
As the nation mourns the loss of these prominent figures, questions arise about the future leadership of Iran and the impact of this tragic event on the country’s political landscape.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
