Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi, 8 Others Confirmed Lifeless After Helicopter Crash

The Iranian authorities has confirmed the dying of President Ebrahim Raisi, 63, following a helicopter crash on Sunday, Could 19, within the East Azerbaijan Province, northwest of Iran.

Iran’s Overseas Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian alongside facet seven others additionally misplaced their lives within the crash.

In line with a number of stories, Malek Rahmati, governor of East Azarbaijan province; and Hojjatoleslam Al Hashem, Tabriz Friday prayer chief, had been among the many seven folks killed within the crash.

That is coming weeks after Iran launched a reprisal missile attack on Israel as a response to Israel deadly strike on its diplomatic compound in Damascus.

In 2021, Ebrahim Raisi was elected president of Iran in what was extensively seen as a notably uncompetitive race.

Earlier than his presidency, he held the function of chief justice, throughout which period the nation skilled heightened suppression of opposition amid widespread protests led by youthful generations towards the ruling clerics.

Occupying a crucial place inside Iran’s governmental framework, Raisi was thought-about the second-most highly effective official, subordinate solely to Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

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The nationwide structure stipulates that the primary vice chairman will assume presidential duties with the Supreme Chief’s approval within the occasion of the president’s dying.

Ebrahim Raisi’s Dying to Gasoline Iran and Israel Rigidity

President Ebrahim Raisi’s tragic passing comes at a tense time, each in Iran and Israel as a result of ongoing battle within the Center East.

The Center East has been particularly tense attributable to Israel’s ongoing battle with Hamas, which has worsened the humanitarian scenario in Gaza and heightened international issues over the past seven months.

This era has additionally introduced the covert battle between Iran and Israel into the open. Final month, Iran instantly attacked Israel with drones and missiles for the primary time.

This was a retaliation for what Iran believes was an Israeli airstrike on its consulate in Damascus, which killed a high-ranking member of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.

Per week after Iran’s assault, Israel responded with focused strikes close to the Iranian metropolis of Isfahan. Though these direct assaults have paused, the proxy conflict persists with Iran-backed teams like Hamas and Hezbollah persevering with to interact Israeli forces.

Domestically, Iran can also be dealing with important challenges. The nation has been experiencing main protests pushed by poor financial situations, worsened by US-led sanctions.

These protests intensified following the 2022 dying of Mahsa Amini within the custody of Iran’s morality police, resulting in widespread dissatisfaction with Iran’s clerical management.

The Iranian authorities’s response to the protests has been extreme, leading to accusations of human rights violations {that a} United Nations report in March described as “crimes towards humanity.”

Whereas the large-scale protests have largely subsided, the need for change stays sturdy amongst Iran’s youth, who’re longing for extra jobs and fewer strict spiritual governance.

President Ebrahim Raisi, who was elected in 2021 in a closely managed election making certain minimal competitors, holds restricted energy in comparison with Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Khamenei has the final word authority over all important home and international coverage choices in Iran, impacting the broader dynamics of Iran-Israel relations.