By Vivek Kumar
Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi, a figure known for his staunch conservatism and frequently speculated as a potential successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, met a tragic fate in a helicopter crash near the border with Azerbaijan, officials and state media reported on Monday.
Vice President Mohsen Mansouri announced the tragic news of Raisi’s death on social media, which was also later confirmed through a broadcast on state television.
The helicopter, transporting Raisi, encountered a fatal crash on Sunday, as per Iranian officials.
Despite the adverse weather conditions including freezing temperatures and dense fog, rescue teams persevered, eventually locating the helicopter’s rotor blades on a hillside after the weather cleared up.
Reports from Tasnim news agency, closely linked with the elite Revolutionary Guards, indicated that search and rescue operations yielded no survivors upon reaching the crash site.
This somber revelation was echoed by both Iranian state news agency IRINN and the semi-official news agency Mehr News on Monday.
“While there is no suggestion of foul play, it is certainly not ideal for senior Iranian political figures to be involved in helicopter accidents while tensions between Israel and Iran remain in a heightened state,” said Benjamin Picton, Senior Macro Strategist at Rabobank.
“The Economist has suggested that if Raisi has been killed it could set off a power struggle in Iran as he was a leading candidate to become the eventual successor for Supreme Leader Khameini. Nevertheless, the reaction in the energy complex suggests that traders remain untroubled by the news.”
President Raisi, aged 63, has been a central figure in Iranian politics since his election in 2021, notably for his firm stance on morality laws, handling of dissent, and active engagement in nuclear negotiations with international powers.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with his paramount authority over foreign policy and Iran’s nuclear agenda, had previously assured citizens of the continuity of state affairs amidst the unfolding tragedy.
Following the incident, oil prices saw an increase in early Asian trading on Monday, with Brent crude rising by 0.3 per cent to $84.24 a barrel, and US West Texas Intermediate crude gaining 0.2 per cent to $80.21 a barrel.
