Tragic news emerged as reports confirmed that no survivors were found at the crash site of the helicopter carrying Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi. This incident was reported by Iranian state news agency IRINN and semi-official news agency Mehr News.
Ebrahim Raisi, Iran's eighth president, was a former hardline judiciary chief who assumed office in 2021 after a presidential contest that was notably lacking in competition. During his tenure, human rights monitors noted an escalation in the repression of dissent within the country.
In the event of the president's absence, the next in line for succession would be First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber, pending approval by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Supreme Leader holds significant authority over both domestic and foreign affairs in Iran, overshadowing the powers of the president.
Unlike his predecessor, the moderate Hassan Rouhani, Raisi had cultivated a strong alliance with Ayatollah Khamenei. Speculation had arisen among many Iranians that Raisi was being groomed to eventually take over from the aging 85-year-old Supreme Leader.
