Iranian President, known as the “Butcher of Tehran” is dead after his helicopter crashed in a remote region of the country on Sunday, reported officials and state media. President Ebrahim Raisi, 63, his foreign minister, and other passengers were found dead by rescuers at the crash site early Monday morning.
Raisi’s helicopter was found around dawn Monday in a mountainous area about 12 hours after it went down in hazardous weather. State news agency Mehr reported “all passengers of the helicopter carrying the Iranian president and foreign minister were martyred.” An Israeli official quickly publicly stated “It wasn’t us,” Monday.
“President Raisi, the foreign minister and all the passengers in the helicopter were killed in the crash,” a senior Iranian official told Reuters.
Raisi was returning home with Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and local officials through heavy clouds and dense fog after traveling to neighboring country Azerbaijan to open a new dam with President Ilham Aliyev.
State media initially reported the aircraft had experienced a “hard landing” and that initial rescue efforts were stymied due to severe wind and fog and the region’s rugged, unforgiving terrain.
The New York Post reported that days after Iran’s failed missile and drone strike against Israel last month, Raisi rattled his saber at an annual military parade, threatening a “massive and harsh” response should Israel retaliate, and warning that if Tehran had wanted to carry out a bigger attack, “nothing would remain of the Zionist regime.”
The Post added that messages of condolence have been pouring in from Iran’s allies, including the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Syria, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan, Iraq and Pakistan.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called Raisi “a true friend of Russia,” while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “deeply shocked and saddened.”
Iranian state TV suspended regular programming after news of the crash, instead broadcasting mass gatherings around the country showing supporters solemnly praying for Raisi.
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Author: Sara Carter Staff
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