Vice president, state TV confirm deaths of all aboard president’s helicopter
DUBAI, May 20 – Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, a potential successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has died in a helicopter crash in mountainous terrain near the Azerbaijan border, officials and state media reported on Monday.
By Monday morning, Raisi and those on board were still missing over 12 hours after the suspected crash, with Turkish drone footage indicating the helicopter had gone down in the mountains.
Rescuers rushed to the site, and the latest update came when the Vice President confirmed Raisi’s death on state TV.
“President Raisi, the foreign minister, and all the passengers in the helicopter were killed in the crash,” a senior Iranian official told Reuters, requesting anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.
Raisi’s death was subsequently confirmed in a social media statement by Vice President Mohsen Mansouri and on state television.
State TV reported that images from the site showed the aircraft had slammed into a mountain peak, though there was no official word on the cause of the crash.
While the death of President Raisi confirmed a major question that begs attention is what will happen if the Iranian leader dies.
Potential Scenarios if Raisi Perishes
As the search persists for the missing Iranian president amid concerns of his potential demise in the tragic accident, inquiries emerge regarding the succession protocol.
Per Article 131 of the Islamic Republic’s constitution, in the event of a president’s passing while in office, the first vice president assumes interim duties. However, the ultimate determination lies with the country’s supreme leader. Presently, Dr. Mohammad Mokhber serves as Iran’s first vice president.
Upon assumption of duties, a council comprising the first vice president, the speaker of parliament, and the head of the judiciary is charged with orchestrating presidential elections within a maximum period of 50 days.
With Raisi’s status uncertain, the trajectory of Iran’s leadership remains uncertain.