“Raisi’s Helicopter Crashed Due to Adverse Weather: Report

Investigators are blaming the adverse weather conditions for the helicopter crash that killed Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi. They say the helicopter carrying Raisi was crashed in May due to harsh weather conditions in the mountainous area. The incident resulted in the deaths of Raisi and seven others.

On 19 May, Raisi was returning from the inauguration of a joint dam built by Iran and Azerbaijan near the border, along with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and other officials, in a convoy of three helicopters. Near the Jolfa region of East Azerbaijan province, the Bell-212 model helicopter carrying Raisi and the foreign minister crashed in the rugged mountains. The other two helicopters landed safely.

The final investigation report by the Supreme Command of the Iranian Armed Forces General Staff states that the extreme adverse weather and climatic conditions in the area were the main cause of the helicopter crash that killed Raisi. The report, cited by the state-run IRIB news agency on Sunday, said no evidence of sabotage was found.

Previously in May, the Iranian military had stated that they had not found any ‘criminal act’ behind the helicopter crash.

Raisi was known as a hardliner president of Iran, who took office in 2021. He was also considered a trusted and potential successor to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.”