Iran’s preliminary report finds no evidence of foul play in helicopter crash that killed President Raisi
Iran’s military releases a preliminary report stating that no evidence of foul play or attack has been found in the investigation of the helicopter crash that resulted in the death of President Ebrahim Raisi
Iran’s military has released a preliminary report stating that no evidence of foul play or attack has been discovered in the investigation of the helicopter crash that resulted in the death of President Ebrahim Raisi, state media reported on Friday.
Raisi, a hardliner and a potential successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, died when his helicopter crashed in poor weather conditions in the mountainous region near the Azerbaijan border on Sunday.
“Signs of gunshot or similar were not observed in the wreckage of the helicopter (which) crashed in an area in high altitude and burst into flames,” the report issued by the armed forces general staff indicated. Additionally, the report noted, “Nothing suspicious has been observed in the control tower’s conversations with the flight crew.”
Further details will be disclosed as the investigation progresses, the report said.
President Raisi was laid to rest in the Shi’ite Muslim holy city of Mashhad on Thursday, four days after the tragic crash, which also claimed the lives of Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and six others.
Experts highlight that Iran has a poor air safety record, with numerous crashes involving aging U.S.-built aircraft that were purchased before the 1979 Islamic revolution. Tehran has attributed its inability to procure new aircraft or spare parts from the West to long-standing U.S. sanctions.
Amid rising speculation about the crash, Iran’s top prosecutor issued a warning against spreading rumors on social media. The semi-official Fars news agency reported that security forces detained a man accused of posting a “false” report, which went viral with 40 million views, casting doubt on the authenticity of state media photos of the helicopter.
In the wake of Raisi’s death, Iran proclaimed five days of mourning. Raisi was known for enforcing Khamenei’s policies, suppressing public dissent, and taking a hard stance on foreign policy, including the negotiations with Washington to revive Iran’s 2015 nuclear pact.
Source: Reuters
