Iran helicopter crash updates: President Raisi, FM Amirabdollahian die

Thank you for joining us for real-time updates on the helicopter crash that killed Iranian President Raisi and other officials.

This live page is now closed, but our live coverage continues here.

You can also read Raisi’s obituary here. And you can learn more about the late Iranian president here.

If you are just joining us, here’s a look at the main developments overnight:

• Iran’s President Raisi has been confirmed dead after a helicopter carrying him and other officials crashed in a mountainous and forested area of the country in poor weather.
• Vice President Mohammad Mokhber will assume powers after Raisi’s death.
• According to the Iranian Constitution, in case of the president’s death or incapacity, the first vice president will take over until an election is held within a maximum period of 50 days.
• Also killed in the crash was Iranian Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian, an experienced diplomat who helped secure the recent rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
• Tributes and condolences are pouring in from regional and international leaders.
• Several countries in the Middle East have expressed support to Iran and offered help to locate the helicopter, which was missing for hours after the crash.
• The search was hampered by severe fogging and rain near the crash site, in the Dizmar forest, nestled between the cities of Varzaqan and Jolfa in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province.
• Paul Beaver, an aviation expert and former helicopter pilot, said the cloud cover, fog, mist and low temperature must have contributed to the crash of the Iranian president’s aircraft.

The Palestinian group says it shares the “pain and sorrow” of the Iranian people after the death of Raisi and other officials, expressing “full solidarity” with Iran.

Hamas added that the late Iranian officials have a history of “honourable stances” in support of the Palestinian people and resistance against Israel, including efforts to stop the ongoing war on Gaza.

“We are confident that the Islamic Republic of Iran will overcome the implications of this great loss; the brotherly Iranian people have institutions that can deal with this severe crisis,” Hamas said in a statement.

Many here will say that Raisi’s death is unlikely to change the relationship between Hezbollah and Iran. No doubt this is a loss for the establishment in Iran. But Raisi was not the main decision-maker in the country, and the relationship really between Hezbollah and Iran goes through the powerful Revolutionary Guard.

And so, no one is expecting changes, but no doubt they’re watching the events closely.

Also on that helicopter, another man who died was the Iranian foreign minister – a very familiar face in Lebanon. He’s made numerous visits to this country, especially during Israel’s war on Gaza, meeting members of the so-called Iran-led “axis of resistance”.

Every time he would come to Lebanon, he would meet officials from Hezbollah; he would meet officials from Hamas.

They would discuss coordination. In many ways, Iran was projecting its influence not only in Lebanon but on the whole conflict. So no doubt, you can replace a foreign minister, but these are close personal relationships.

Several senior Iranian officials were also killed alongside Raisi in the helicopter crash in the Dizmar forest, located between the cities of Varzaqan and Jolfa in East Azerbaijan province.

The officials include:

• Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian
• East Azerbaijan Governor Malek Rahmati
• Representative of the Iranian supreme leader in East Azerbaijan Mohammad Ali Ale-Hashem
• Head of presidential guard Mehdi Mousavi
• The helicopter’s pilot, co-pilot and crew

Raisi and his companions were returning from an event with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev when the crash happened.

The Indian prime minister said he was “deeply saddened” by Raisi’s death, adding that the late Iranian president contributed “to strengthening India-Iran bilateral relationship”.

“My heartfelt condolences to his family and the people of Iran. India stands with Iran in this time of sorrow,” Modi wrote in a social media post.

Deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic demise of Dr. Seyed Ebrahim Raisi, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. His contribution to strengthening India-Iran bilateral relationship will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to his family and the people of Iran.…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 20, 2024

Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi has died after a helicopter carrying him and other officials crashed in a mountainous and forested area of the country in poor weather.

The 63-year-old, a figure representing conservative and hardline factions in Iranian politics, was president for nearly three years and appeared on track to run for re-election next year.

A former chief justice, Raisi was touted as a potential successor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the 85-year-old supreme leader of Iran.

Read Raisi’s obituary here.

Former Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif has expressed his condolences on the “martyrdom” of his successor Hossein Amirabdollahian along with President Raisi.

Zarif described Amirabdollahian as “my dear brother”.

In a message posted on Instagram, Zarif wrote that news of the accident was “painful”.

“I wish God’s pleasure for the martyrs, peace and patience for the survivors, and solidarity and progress for the Iranian people.”

The Venezuelan president has expressed condolences to Iran and its Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, saying that Raisi was an “unconditional friend” of Venezuela.

“A heartfelt hug from the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. You, Iran, are an example of dignity, morality and resistance,” Maduro wrote in a social media post.

When we look at the wreckage of the helicopter, the chances of anyone surviving in such an accident are quite slim. We see that the whole cabin of the helicopter is completely burned.

Iranian authorities are also saying that some of the bodies were burned beyond recognition, and that they have not been able to identify who is who at the site.

Iranian and international media outlets have shared photos of the crash site, showing Raisi’s helicopter in pieces on the side of a mountain.

One of the photos posted on social media by Al Jazeera correspondent Ali Hashem showed the tail of the helicopter upside down in a grassy area.

Another picture showing what’s left of president Raisi’s helicopter after it crashed into the mountain. https://t.co/wRHbXrjqOY pic.twitter.com/TwJ5ODXsky

— Ali Hashem علي هاشم (@alihashem_tv) May 20, 2024

News of the helicopter crash involving Iranian President Raisi is a top trending item in China and Chinese social media. People are watching this very closely.

China’s Foreign Ministry released a statement earlier on Monday morning saying that Chinese officials are deeply concerned about the situation and wishing the best for Raisi and the others on board the helicopter. They also pledged to provide any support to Iran as needed.

For China, Raisi’s condition and Iran are very important. China considers Iran a strategic partner and a non-official key ally.

Raisi visited Beijing last February 2023 and since he’s been in office, he has moved Iran closer to China.

The Biden administration in the US has also acknowledged Beijing’s significant influence in Tehran, and they have asked Chinese officials to use that influence to pressure Iran to stop some of the actions the US considers as provocative.

There still hasn’t been a reaction to the latest report that we are learning of the discovery of the helicopter carrying President Raisi.

US President Joe Biden has been briefed on this as the search was ongoing hours ago. He has been kept abreast of these developments as have US officials.

They have been very keen to show restraint in speculation as to what the fate of President Raisi is.

The US has really not issued any sort of formal statement, clearly telling reporters that there are no other details to share at this moment.

As we wait for imminent news of what President Raisi’s fate is – to emerge from Iran – we would expect US officials to react to that in the coming hours.

We have just learned that the head of the Red Crescent just told the Iranian state television that they have discovered the crash site.

There’s a still image circulating right now on Iranian websites and Telegram channels showing some kind of a wreckage on a mountainous area.

According to the head of the Red Crescent, they need 2km [1.2 miles] to reach that place and then we probably will have the news of what happened.

This is the first time Iran is going through a situation in which a president is in a helicopter – and there’s a lot of uncertainty. They have never seen something similar with the president and the foreign minister disappearing.

This is the main focus of the Iranian public right now regardless of the differences in the Iranian establishment, as well as the people, given the past experiences with the demonstrations.

Everyone is looking for the president. Even foreign countries are coming to help with the search with the Turks sending their drones and the Russians sending their equipment.

Everyone is trying to show support and provide help as we saw from the Turks and the Saudis, the Kuwaitis, Qataris and the Iraqis. They have all shown solidarity with the Iranian establishment. It gives a kind of feeling of solidarity among the countries in the region.

#Statement | The Foreign Ministry issued a statement that the government of Saudi Arabia is following with great concern what was circulated in the media regarding the helicopter carrying the Iranian President H.E. Dr. Ebrahim Raisi and the delegation accompanying the President. pic.twitter.com/n7UVaQn6h8

— Foreign Ministry 🇸🇦 (@KSAmofaEN) May 19, 2024

As Iranian search and rescue officials continue to look for the wreckage of the helicopter carrying Raisi, attention is turning towards Vice President Mohammad Mokhber, the person next in line in the presidency.

According to the Iranian Constitution, in case of the president’s death or incapacity, the first vice president will take over and assume the functions of the president until an election is held within a maximum period of 50 days.

Unlike other countries, Iran’s first vice presidency is an appointed position – not an elected one. The vice president assumed some of the powers of the prime minister after the position was abolished in 1989.

There are several appointed vice presidents serving concurrently in Iran – they mostly work as cabinet members. But the office Mokhber holds is considered first among equals.

Raisi appointed Mokhber as his first vice president in August 2021, shortly after taking office. He is the seventh person to serve in that role since the revision of the constitution.

Before his appointment to the vice presidency, Mokhber served for 14 years as head of Iran’s Setad, a powerful economic conglomerate mostly focused on charitable causes.

The organisation, which is under the direct control of the Iranian supreme leader, is estimated to be worth tens of billions of dollars, according to a Reuters investigation.

Under Mokhber’s watch, Setad developed Iran’s coronavirus vaccine, Coviran Barekat, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. But the effectiveness of the vaccine has been questioned, with reports of people suffering severe medical reactions after receiving it.