Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdullahian were tragically killed in a helicopter crash, with their bodies later recovered from the accident site. The search operation has now concluded, as reported by AFP on Monday (May 20).
Iran’s Red Crescent confirmed the recovery of the bodies of President Ibrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdullahian, and others who perished in the crash. Red Crescent chief Pir Hossein Kullivand informed Rashtriya TV that the bodies are being transported to Tabriz in northwestern Iran. With this development, the search operation has officially ended.
The country’s state TV initially reported the deaths of President Ibrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdullahian, and several others in a helicopter crash in northwestern Iran on Sunday.
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Rescuers finally located Raisi’s helicopter after an extensive search following the crash. However, Iran’s state news agency IRINN and semi-official Mehr News confirmed that no survivors were found at the crash site.
“A senior Iranian official, speaking anonymously, informed Reuters that President Raisi, the foreign minister, and all passengers on board the helicopter were killed in the crash.”
Raisi’s death was subsequently confirmed in a statement issued by Vice President Mohsen Mansoori and state television on social media.