Portrait of the President of Iran who died in a helicopter crash 0
(Dan Tri) – President Ebrahim Raisi is considered the likely successor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to become the supreme leader and highest political and religious position in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi (Photo: Reuters).
Mr. Ebrahim Raisi, 63, a hard-line religious cleric, was elected president of Iran in 2021.
During his presidency, he oversaw a strategy to expand his country’s influence in the region – supporting proxy armed groups across the Middle East, accelerating the country’s nuclear program and potentially
But during that same period, Iran also saw some of its largest protests in decades and a severe economic downturn due to international sanctions and high unemployment.
Before the accident on May 19, Mr. Raisi was considered a likely successor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to become the supreme leader, the highest political and religious position in Iran.
Comes from a religious family
Mr. Raisi was born in the eastern city of Mashhad in 1960 to a devout family and was caught up in the country’s Islamic Revolution, which toppled the monarchy in 1979.
A religious scholar in Iran’s theocratic government and a protégé of supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei, Mr. Raisi rose through the ranks of the judiciary, serving as a prosecutor in several cities.
He also served as prosecutor general of Tehran from 1989 to 1994, deputy chief justice of the Supreme Court (2004-2014) and then prosecutor general of Iran in 2014.
Presidential term
During his tenure in power, he saw the country experience a massive anti-government protest movement following the death of a young Kurdish woman named Mahsa Amini while in police custody.
Tehran also continues its uranium enrichment program and ballistic missile program.
That attack stemmed from escalating tensions between the two countries after Hamas forces, which are backed by Iran, attacked Israel on October 7, 2023 and Tel Aviv responded with a fierce attack in the Gaza Strip.
During the same period, Iran also emerged as Russia’s reliable foreign military drone supplier.
Killed in helicopter crash
Iranian media reported on May 20 that President Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian died after a helicopter crash the day before.
The plane carrying Mr. Raisi crashed on the way back to the country, after attending the inauguration ceremony of the Qiz Qalasi dam in Azerbaijan with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
In addition to Mr. Raisi, there were 7 other people on the plane including: Governor of East Azerbaijan province Malek Rahmati, representative of Iran’s supreme leader in East Azerbaijan province, main pilot, co-pilot, crew chief,
`President Raisi, the Foreign Minister and all passengers on the helicopter were killed in the accident,` an Iranian official confirmed.
According to aviation experts, dense fog, rain, and low temperatures could be a possibility leading to the accident.
The Iranian side said there will be no disruption in the country’s political system even though the President has passed away.
