President Ebrahim Raïssi died in a helicopter crash

Iranian Red Crescent rescue workers recover the remains of the occupants of the crashed helicopter, Monday May 20. Among them are the Iranian President, Ebrahim Raïssi, and his Minister of Foreign Affairs. At dawn, the wreckage of the plane was spotted on a mountainside in northeastern Iran. The helicopter was completely destroyed, and no occupants survived.

Dozens of rescue teams were mobilized until late Sunday night to search for the presidential helicopter, in thick fog and rain. Weather conditions could be the cause of the plane crash. In the holy city of Mashhad (Iran), where Ebrahim Raïssi was born, Iranians prayed for their former president. In Tehran (Iran), residents are waiting. Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, of whom Raisi was one of the expected successors, announced that Iran would observe five days of mourning. He designated the vice president as interim president, before a vote is held within 50 days.