Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, declared five days of national mourning following the tragic death of President Ebrahim Raisi. President Raisi died in a helicopter crash in a mountainous region of northwestern Iran, alongside Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. The accident occurred on Sunday when their helicopter went down.
The Iranian nation was offered condolences by Ayatollah Khamenei, who mourned the loss deeply. Ebrahim Raisi, aged 63, was previously considered a possible successor to Khamenei.
Following the incident, state media announced that elections are scheduled for June 28 to elect a new president. In the interim, Vice-President Mohammad Mokhber will serve as the acting president.
Additionally, Ali Bagheri Kani has been appointed as the acting foreign minister. The crash reportedly happened under foggy conditions near the Azerbaijan border, an area President Raisi had visited to inaugurate two dams.
The Iranian Red Crescent confirmed the recovery of the bodies from the crash site on Monday, concluding the search operations. Plans are underway to transport the bodies to Tabriz, where President Raisi’s funeral will be held on Tuesday.
Despite the sudden loss, the Iranian government assured continued operations without disruption. Various global leaders have expressed their condolences, acknowledging the impact of President Raisi and Minister Amir-Abdollahian’s deaths.
