Hours before Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash that also killed his foreign minister and eight other senior officials, Iranian state media shared videos of the leader aboard the helicopter on Sunday.
The video shows the Iranian leader looking out of a plane window as the camera pans to show several senior officials, including Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, sitting in front of him.
In a clip shared by Iran Video, the president can be seen meeting with officials before boarding the helicopter. Approximately 30 minutes after the aircraft took off, contact with it was lost. Almost 16 hours later, the wreckage of the helicopter was found on a mountain peak.
ایرانی صدر ابراہلی م کے فضائی د ورے کی ویڈیو۔۔!!#Willpic.twitter.com/LOn5h1Lsdq
-Khurram Iqbal (@khurram143) May 20, 2024
“The servant of the Iranian nation, Ayatollah Ebrahim Raisi, achieved the highest level of martyrdom while serving the people,” state television said.
Iranian media initially described the situation as an “accident.” Iranian Vice President for Executive Affairs Mohsen Mansouri said two officials had established contact with rescue teams, suggesting the accident may not have been cataclysmic.
Photo credit: AFP
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the death of the Iranian president and said India stands with Iran in its “moment of sadness”.
“Deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic passing away of Dr. Seyed Ebrahim Raisi, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. His contribution to strengthening the India-Iran bilateral relationship will always be remembered. My deepest condolences to his family and the people of Iran. India stands with Iran in this time of sadness,” he said in a post on X.
Prime Minister Modi expressed “deep concern” when the Iranian leader’s helicopter went missing, saying he was praying for the well-being of the president and his entourage.
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