‘Iran plunged into uncertainty’: Global media reacts to Raisi’s death
The death of Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and key officials in a helicopter crash has led to widespread global reactions and concerns about stability in the region
The helicopter crash that resulted in the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has garnered extensive coverage in the world press.
In addition to Raisi, nine other individuals, including Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, East Azerbaijan Governor Malik Rahmati and Tabriz Friday Imam Mohammad Ali Al Hashem, lost their lives.
President Raisi had attended a dam opening ceremony on the Iran-Azerbaijan border the day before the crash. The helicopter carrying Raisi and his entourage lost altitude and crashed on its return to Iran.
At the request of Tehran, Türkiye deployed the Akinci unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for search and rescue operations. The UAV detected the coordinates of the helicopter wreckage and shared them with Iranian authorities.
Iranian teams inspecting the crash site reported that there were no survivors.
The Guardian: ‘Sense of instability increased’
The U.K.’s prominent newspaper, The Guardian, highlighted that the death of 63-year-old Raisi occurred when Iran was struggling with difficulties, especially because of the Gaza war between Israel and Hamas.
The analysis pointed out that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is 85 years old, noting that the news of Raisi’s death came when “Tehran is preparing for a regime change.”
The same accident also claimed the life of Foreign Minister Abdollahian, with the commentary stating: “For a country that prides itself on control and predictability, the sense of instability has further increased.”
The report recalled that reciprocal attacks were carried out between Israel and Iran in April.
BBC: Raisi was in Iran’s ‘Death Committee’
In a profile published by the U.K.’s public broadcaster BBC, it was noted Raisi grew up within the group supporting the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
In the revolution, the monarchy led by the Western-backed Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was overthrown, and the Islamic Republic was established under the leadership of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
The profile recalled that Raisi was appointed deputy prosecutor in Tehran at 25 and later served in the secret courts known as the “Death Committee,” established in 1998.
This court came to prominence with executions targeting members of the Islamist socialist organization People’s Mujahedin of Iran aiming to overthrow the regime.
According to human rights organizations, the committee executed approximately 5,000 people. Raisi repeatedly denied allegations about his role in the death sentences.
The analysis also recalled the major protests against Raisi’s government during the demonstrations following the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022.
WSJ: ‘Iran faces another challenge’
The American newspaper Wall Street Journal (WSJ) wrote that relations between Iran and Western countries “deteriorated significantly” during Raisi’s tenure, which began in 2021.
The report noted that Raisi was more conservative than his predecessor, former Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and that Tehran developed its relations with Moscow and Beijing under Raisi’s administration.
“A leadership change amid the chaos in the Middle East creates an additional challenge for Iran,” the report said.
NYT: ‘Iran plunged into uncertainty’
“Raisi’s death could not come at a more unstable time for Iran,” The New York Times (NYT), a renowned American newspaper, stated in its report.
It highlighted that Raisi was seen as the successor to 85-year-old Khamenei and that the president’s death “plunges Iran, grappling with economic and geopolitical issues, into uncertainty.”
Ali Vaez from the Brussels-based think tank International Crisis Group said Raisi was a figure of stability, adding, “Raisi brought predictability to the system.”
Reuters: ‘It was not Israel’
Times of Israel: ‘Raisi’s death will trigger a power struggle’
The analysis in the prominent Israeli news site Times of Israel pointed out that Khamenei determines Iran’s policy and the deaths of Raisi and Abdollahian would not change Tehran’s stance.
The report wrote that the president’s death created a “power vacuum that senior figures will maneuver to fill.”
Jason Brodsky from the U.S.-based think tank United Against Nuclear Iran commented that even if Tehran’s core policies remain the same, “Raisi’s departure from the scene has created a real shock to the political system.”
Jerusalem Post: ‘Iranian president dead after helicopter crashes into mountain’
Israeli Jerusalem Post, a widely respected Israeli newspaper, highlighted the potential successor Mohammad Mokhber.
Haaretz: Iranian President and Foreign Minister Killed in Helicopter Crash
Haaretz, one of Israel’s oldest daily newspapers, emphasized that Raisi’s death is a severe blow to the Iranian regime, potentially leading to a succession crisis and further diminishing internal trust, which is already low. However, the paper noted that Iran’s proxy war against Israel is far from over.
Haaretz added an analysis titled “Raisi, a Potential Heir for Khamenei, Was One of Iran’s Worst Leaders Ever.”
IRNA: ‘Martyed while serving nation’
Iran’s official news agency IRNA shared the news of Raisi’s death under the headline “Martyred while serving the nation.”
It was noted Raisi advanced the country in various fields, including the economy and foreign policy.
Arab News: ‘Raisi died during a period of tension in the Middle East’
The Saudi Arabian newspaper Arab News wrote that Raisi’s death occurred “when the Gaza war continues to unsettle the Middle East.”
The report recalled that the Raisi administration faced significant opposition from many Western countries, especially the U.S., because of actions such as supplying drones to Russia during the Ukraine war and continuing uranium enrichment despite warnings.
China Daily: ‘Tehran does not suspect sabotage’
The China Daily, owned by the Communist Party of China, reported that Tehran does not suspect sabotage in the incident.
“Raisi’s unfortunate and untimely death will not have a major impact on the situation in the Middle East. This is merely an internal matter for Iran,” the report said.
The analysis suggested that the new president would also follow a conservative line, thus Iran would maintain its national policy shortly.
Politico: ‘Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi dies in helicopter crash’
An American political journalism organization Politico’s headline was “Iranian President Dies in Helicopter Crash,” discussing Reisi’s role in the execution of thousands of political prisoners in the late 1980s, according to Iran’s opposition.
Der Spiegel: ‘Death of the Crown Prince’
Germany’s Der Spiegel magazine titled its coverage “Death of the Crown Prince,” discussing the expectations of Raisi’s succession to Ayatollah Khamenei and the turmoil in Iran amid social, economic and political challenges.
Source: Newsroom
