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  • 17 Sep, 2024

President Raisi and Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian Killed in Iran Helicopter Crash

President Raisi and Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian Killed in Iran Helicopter Crash

A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister crashed while returning from eastern Azerbaijan

Many here would say that Raisi's death is unlikely to change the relationship between Hezbollah and Iran. Undoubtedly, this is a loss for Iran's ruling class. But Raisi is not the country's main decision-maker, and Hezbollah's relationship with Iran is actually supported by the powerful Revolutionary Guards.

Therefore, no one expects any changes, but undoubtedly they are closely monitoring events.

The Iranian foreign minister, who was very well known in Lebanon, was also killed in this helicopter. He visited the country several times, particularly during Israel's war in Gaza, and met with members of the so-called Iranian-led "Axis of Resistance."

He met with Hezbollah executives every time he came to Lebanon. He is scheduled to meet with Hamas officials.

They will discuss adjustments. In many ways, Iran exerted influence not only in Lebanon but throughout the conflict. So you can definitely replace foreign ministers, but these are close personal relationships.


Who are the other police officers who died in the helicopter crash?

In addition to Raisi, several senior Iranian officials were killed in the helicopter crash in the Dizmar forest,  between the cities of Barzakan and Jolfa in East Azerbaijan province.

The people involved include:

Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian
East Azerbaijan Governor Malek Rahmati
Representative of the Supreme Leader of Iran in East Azerbaijan Mohammad Ali Ale-Hashem
Chief of the Presidential Guard Mehdi Mousavi
The helicopter pilot, co-pilot and crew

When the crash occurred, Raisi and his companions were returning from an event with Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi says he is shocked by Raisi's "tragic" death  

The Indian prime minister said he was "deeply saddened" by Raisi's death, adding that the late Iranian president "contributed to strengthening  bilateral ties between India and Iran."

In a social media post, Modi said he offered his "heartfelt condolences to his family and the people of Iran" and that "India stands with Iran in this hour of grief."