Israel not involved in death of Iran’s President, Israeli official says

According to the state news agency IRNA, a helicopter crashed in the Varzeqan area north of Tabriz while President Raisi was returning from an official trip to the border with Azerbaijan in northwest Iran.

An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Israel had no involvement in the helicopter crash that claimed the life of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and several others in his entourage.

The crash occurred in mountainous terrain near the Azerbaijan border, where the charred wreckage of the helicopter was discovered after an overnight search in harsh weather conditions.

A senior Iranian official also confirmed the tragic deaths of Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, and all other passengers on board.

Vice President Mohsen Mansouri and state television confirmed Raisi’s death through a social media statement. First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber is set to assume the presidency.

State media reported that a US-made Bell 212 helicopter crashed into a mountain peak, though the cause remains unconfirmed. The casualties included the governor of East Azerbaijan Province and a prominent imam from Tabriz city.

The crash occurred in Varzeqan region north of Tabriz as Raisi returned from an official visit to Iran’s northwest border with Azerbaijan.

Elected president in 2021, Raisi, aged 63, has enforced stricter morality laws, suppressed anti-government protests violently, and actively engaged in nuclear negotiations with global powers.