Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, 63, and several top officials, including Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, died in a helicopter crash Monday after an hours-long search in the mountainous region of East Azerbaijan province. The incident occurs amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, following Iran’s recent drone-and-missile attack on Israel and escalating uranium enrichment activities under Raisi’s administration.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged the nation to pray for the president but assured that the government would continue its operations. First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber has already begun assuming duties in Raisi’s absence. Under the Iranian constitution, a new presidential election will be called within 50 days if the president dies, pending Khamenei’s assent.
The helicopter crash adds to Iran’s domestic challenges, including mass protests over economic woes and women’s rights. Raisi’s presidency, marked by hard-line policies and international sanctions, saw Iran’s involvement in regional conflicts and a controversial nuclear program, further straining relations with the West and neighboring countries.
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