Iran’s President Dies in Helicopter Crash Amidst Middle East Tensions

Iran’s president and foreign minister have died in a helicopter crash during a period of heightened tensions in the Middle East. President Ebrahim Raisi and the foreign minister were found dead on Monday, hours after their helicopter went down in dense fog, leaving Iran without two of its top leaders amidst extraordinary regional turmoil.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei swiftly appointed a little-known vice president as caretaker to ensure that the government remained stable. 

Iran has not provided a cause for the crash nor indicated sabotage, stating only that the helicopter fell in mountainous terrain during sudden, intense fog.

This incident occurs amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, which has further destabilised the region. 

President Raisi, a hard-liner and former judiciary head, was seen as a protégé of Khamenei. His tenure saw worsening relations with the West, uranium enrichment nearing weapons-grade levels, and the supply of drones to Russia for its war in Ukraine. His administration has also faced mass protests over economic issues and women’s rights, adding to the current sensitivities.