The Iranian President has been confirmed to have died in the helicopter crash in the forests of Dizmar, on the 19th of May, 2024. The sudden and dramatic crash of a helicopter carrying Iran’s President and Foreign Minister on Sunday reverberated throughout the region, sending shockwaves far and wide. Reports have started to come out from CNN and other sources from Iran, even from the heavy censoring, that no one has been found alive at the crash site. According to the state-run IRNA news agency, the helicopter held two important men of power: President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, the governor of Iran’s East Azerbaijan province, along with other officials and bodyguards. Earlier that day, Raisi had been returning from a visit to Iran’s border with Azerbaijan, where he had joined Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev to inaugurate a new dam.
The Helicopter Crash that Killed the President of Iran
In a dramatic turn of events, the helicopter carrying Iran’s President and Foreign Minister apparently crashed or made an emergency landing in the dense Dizmar forest. This area lies between the cities of Varzaqan and Jolfa in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province, near the border with Azerbaijan. The circumstances surrounding the incident remain murky. Initially, Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi attributed the crash to severe weather conditions, stating that the helicopter was “forced to make a hard landing due to the bad weather and fog.”
Where Did the Iranian President Helicopter Crash?
The search-and-rescue operations have been significantly hampered by the mountainous, forested terrain and heavy fog in the area. Pir-Hossein Koulivand, president of the Iranian Red Crescent Society, reported that 40 search teams are on the ground, navigating challenging weather conditions. The adverse weather has also precluded the use of aerial searches, including drones, making the search efforts even more arduous.
The area in Dizmar forest where the helicopter is believed to have crashed
The repercussions for Iran could be profound. Raisi is widely regarded as a protégé of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and a potential successor within the country’s Shiite theocracy. According to the Iranian constitution, in the event of Raisi’s death, the country’s first vice president, Mohammad Mokhber, would assume the presidency. Despite the gravity of the situation, Khamenei has publicly assured the nation that the operations of the country would continue uninterrupted.
International Reaction of Iranian President Death
The international community has reacted with notable concern following the apparent crash of the helicopter carrying Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi. Countries including Russia, Iraq, and Qatar have issued formal statements expressing their concern over Raisi’s fate and have offered to assist in the search operations.
Upon hearing of the incident, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev expressed his deep concern and affirmed that Azerbaijan was ready to provide any necessary support. This statement is particularly significant given the historically chilly relations between Azerbaijan and Iran, largely due to Azerbaijan’s diplomatic ties with Israel, Iran’s regional arch-enemy.
Saudi Arabia, traditionally a rival of Iran, also issued a statement expressing concern. Despite the recent thawing of relations between the two countries, Saudi Arabia declared that it stands by Iran in these difficult circumstances.
In contrast, Israel has not made an immediate official statement. The silence comes in the wake of heightened tensions between the two countries. Just last month, following an Israeli strike on an Iranian consular building in Damascus that resulted in the death of two Iranian generals, Tehran responded with a barrage of missiles and drones aimed at Israel, which were largely intercepted. Although tensions have ostensibly subsided since then, the current situation remains sensitive.
Was Israel Behind the Iranian President’s Helicopter Crash?
With the helicopter crash of the Iranian President, all eyes are on Israel right now, as this high-profile death comes merely a month after both countries had attacked each other in a significant escalation. Multiple unconfirmed rumors are coming in that Israeli special forces, and the secret agency Mossad is responsible for sabotaging the helicopter and downing it.
Iran has consistently supported militant groups like Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) over the years, providing financial aid, weapons, and training. This support has significantly strengthened these groups, enabling them to carry out attacks against Israel. Despite this, there is no direct evidence linking Iran to the October 7 assault that sparked the recent Gaza conflict.
Since the war began, Iran’s leaders have publicly expressed their solidarity with the Palestinian cause, a stance they have maintained for decades. However, their regional allies have taken more aggressive actions.
The helicopter that was carrying the president of Iran, taking off for the final time
In Lebanon, Hezbollah, Iran’s most advanced proxy, has engaged in a low-intensity conflict with Israel. This has involved near-daily exchanges of fire across the Israel-Lebanon border, causing tens of thousands of people on both sides to flee. Despite the ongoing skirmishes, the conflict has not escalated into a full-scale war, which would be catastrophic for both nations.
In Syria and Iraq, Iranian-backed militias launched numerous attacks on U.S. bases during the early stages of the conflict. These attacks ceased after the U.S. retaliated for a drone strike that killed three American soldiers in January.
Meanwhile, Yemen’s Houthi rebels, another ally of Iran, have repeatedly targeted international shipping, framing their actions as a blockade of Israel.
Israel Had Previously Assassinated Iranian Officials
Ebrahim Raisi, a hardliner seen as a protégé and potential successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, recently condemned Israel for its long-standing actions against Palestinians. Raisi asserted, “The Zionist Israeli regime has been committing oppression against the people of Palestine for 75 years.” He outlined a three-step approach: expelling the usurpers, making them pay for the damages caused, and bringing the oppressors to justice.
Over the years, Israel is believed to have orchestrated numerous covert operations targeting senior Iranian military officials and nuclear scientists. These actions have included:
High-profile killings of key figures such as Masoud Ali-Mohammadi in 2010, Majid Shahriari in 2010, and Mohsen Fakhrizadeh in 2020. These assassinations were carried out using methods like remote-controlled bombs and targeted shootings.
The crashed remains of the Iranian president’s helicopter
Israel has also been linked to significant cyber operations, including the Stuxnet virus in 2010, which disrupted Iran’s nuclear facilities, and subsequent malware attacks aimed at gathering intelligence and causing infrastructure damage.
These covert actions have intensified the already fraught relations between Israel and Iran, contributing to the complex geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East. In light of this, and the fact that Israel has not given an official comment on the happenings yet, millions across the globe are fearing that Israel might have done something drastic like taking out the head of another state. If this turned out to be true, then we would be witnessing one of the biggest escalations and uprisings in the middle east that has not been seen since the time of the Iraq War.
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