“No survivors” were found at the crash site of the helicopter carrying Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi, according to reports from Iranian state news agency IRINN and the semi-official Mehr News.
Background: Ebrahim Raisi, a former hardline judiciary chief, served as Iran’s eighth president. Elected in 2021, his presidency followed a notably uncompetitive election.
Raisi’s tenure was marked by heightened repression of dissent, as noted by human rights organizations.
If Raisi’s successor needs to be determined, First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber would be next in line, pending approval from Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In Iran, the Supreme Leader holds ultimate authority over domestic and international matters, overshadowing the president’s powers.
Unlike his predecessor, Hassan Rouhani, who was considered moderate, Raisi had built a strong alliance with Khamenei. Many Iranians speculated that Raisi was being groomed to eventually succeed the 85-year-old Supreme Leader.