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Iranian President Killed in Helicopter Crash
Iranian State media has confirmed the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on May 19th, 2024, following the crash of his helicopter over Iranian Azerbaijan.
Raisi was returning from a ceremony inaugurating the joint Iranian-Azerbaijani Qiz Qalasi dam project.
Also, Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has reportedly died in the crash — but Iran has no shortage of capable diplomats, and his death certainly doesn’t rise to the level of global geopolitical significance.
Iranian media initially held out some hope for a rescue.
Still, the region’s rugged terrain, dense fog, and cold temperatures impeded efforts to locate the crash site promptly.
Raisi’s death by itself does not present a significant loss of capability or capacity for the Iranian regime.
The supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, holds the true power in Iran.
Iran’s former president, Raisi, is no great reformer.
He heavily cracked down on protests, women’s liberation movements, and the cause of feminism in 2022.
He is just one in a long line of Iranian presidents who have led the reigning government.
