In the United Arab Emirates there was a big rescue operation in a foggy forest on sunday when a helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and the Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, and other dignitaries reportedly crashed in the country’s hilly northwest. The people was advised to pray throughout the incident. Following the probable accident, which occurred in the highlands, according to Turkish drone footage, Raisi and the other passengers were still missing as of the sunrise on Monday, almost twelve hours later. Rescues arrived at the scene.
Raisi was going through the region of East Azerbaijan in Iran. About 600 kilometers (375 miles) northwest of Tehran, the capital of Iran, near the city of Jolfa, on the border with the country of Azerbaijan, was the scene of what state TV described as a “hard landing.” Later, state TV moved it closer to the town of Uzi in the east, but the specifics remained unclear. Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, the governor of the province of East Azerbaijan in Iran, as well as other officials and bodyguards, accompanied Raisi on her trip, according to the state-run IRNA news agency. While several local government representatives referred to the event as a “hard landing” or a “crash,” one official used the term “crash.” In the hours that followed, Raisi’s status was not updated by state TV or IRNA.
Turkish officials made public footage from a drone that they said looked to show a fire in the woods that they “suspected to be wreckage of a helicopter” early on Monday morning. According to the video’s location, the fire was located on a steep mountainside about 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of the border between Iran and Azerbaijan. The people were asked to pray for him by hardliners.
Hundreds of worshippers were shown on state television, some of them with their hands up in prayer, at the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad, one of the holiest places for Shiites in the country, as well as in Qom and other places. The prayers were shown continuously on state television’s main channel.
“If anything happens to him we’ll be heartbroken,” said one of the men, Mehdi Seyedi. ”May the prayers work and may he return to the arms of the nation safe and sound.” Long after the sunset, Iranian government spokesman Ali Bahadori Jahromi acknowledged that “we are experiencing difficult and complicated conditions’ ‘ in the search.
“It is the right of the people and the media to be aware of the latest news about the president’s helicopter accident, but considering the coordinates of the incident site and the weather conditions, there is ‘no’ new news whatsoever until now,” he wrote on the social platform X. “In these moments, patience, prayer and trust in relief groups are the way forward.”
Khamenei himself also urged the public to pray.We hope that God the Almighty returns the dear president and his colleagues in full health to the arms of the nation,” Khamenei said, drawing an “amen” from the worshipers he was addressing.
The location is recognized to be hilly, and IRNA referred to it as a “forest.” After showing footage of SUVs speeding through a forest, State TV said that the bad weather, which included strong winds and rain, was impeding the vehicles. Through the mist and fog, rescuers were visible. The Iranian government’s operations will go on regardless of what happened, the supreme leader said.
If the president of Iran passes away, the vice president assumes office with Khamenei’s approval, and a new presidential election is scheduled to take place in 50 days. According to state media, First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber had already started fielding calls from authorities and foreign nations while Raisi was away.
Raisi, 63, who once oversaw the nation’s judiciary, is seen as Khamenei’s protégé. Some observers have speculated that Raisi may succeed the 85-year-old leader in the event of Khamenei’s demise or resignation. To officially open a dam with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, Raisi had traveled to the country’s border early on Sunday. This is the third dam on the Aras River that the two countries have constructed.
On August 3, 2021, Ebrahim Raisi was sworn in as president of Iran, emphasizing the need to lift economic sanctions and advance economic independence. Hassan Rouhani was succeeded by the hardline conservative Raisi, who has shifted his focus to Asia and assumed a more assertive posture against the West, especially in relation to China and Russia.
Economics and Domestic Policies
To lessen dependency on foreign help and sanctions relief, Raisi’s administration has placed a strong emphasis on a “resistance economy”. This strategy seeks to attain economic self-sufficiency by increasing home output. Raisi has attempted to boost commerce with Asian partners and adjacent nations [Al Jazeera Centre for Studies, HistoryMaps], while having significant economic obstacles, including rising inflation and continuing unrest.
International Relations
Raisi has prioritized ties with China and Russia in her foreign policy, pursuing a strategic change in that direction. According to the American Iranian Council and Al Jazeera Center for Studies, his government is in favor of the 25-year comprehensive cooperation pact with China, which calls for Chinese investments in Iranian petrochemicals, energy, and infrastructure. In the same vein, Raisi has worked to strengthen her relationship with Russia by endorsing its activities in Ukraine and collaborating on joint energy initiatives inside OPEC (the American Iranian Council).
JCPOA and Nuclear Program
Raisi’s stance on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) has been complex. While he has expressed a willingness to resume talks, his administration has taken a tougher approach than his predecessor. This has included reducing cooperation with international nuclear inspectors and demanding more comprehensive sanctions relief before making concessions (American Iranian Council).
Regional Relations
In a notable diplomatic development, Raisi’s administration has improved relations with Saudi Arabia. With China’s mediation, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to re-establish diplomatic relations in March 2023, which could contribute to regional stability (American Iranian Council).
Overall, Raisi’s presidency has been marked by a shift towards self-reliance in the face of sanctions, strategic realignments in foreign policy, and ongoing domestic and international challenges. But sadly in the helicopter crash this Sunday the President is no more.
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