Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi killed in Helicopter crash

Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi has been killed along with the Imam of Juma Tabriz, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Governor of East Azarbaijan in a helicopter crash, Iranian state media has confirmed. Mr. Raisi was on board an aircraft when it crashed into a mountain range on Sunday after it got into difficulty while travelling in very heavy fog. It is believed to be to one of a three aircraft convoy.

Rescuers fought through blizzards and difficult terrain through the night to reach the wreckage in the early hours of Monday after a search effort backed by Russia was hampered because of bad weather

Rescuers said there was "no sign of life" when they managed to reach the wreckage with the search effort hampered by bad weather conditions at the time. The aircraft was taking Raisi from the Azerbaijan border to Tabriz, the capital of the East Azerbaijan Province, when it got into difficulties and plummeted into a mountainous area on Sunday.

Under the Iranian constitution, Iran´s vice first president takes over if the president dies with Ayatollah Khamenei´s ascent, and a new presidential election would be called within 50 days. Iranian state media has already reported Mohammad Mokhber, 68 has assumed the role of interim president and has already had begun receiving calls from officials and foreign governments.

Mokhber will lead a temporary government alongside the speaker of Iran's parliament, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, and the head of the judiciary, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i. Qalibaf, who campaigned for the Iranian presidency as early as 2005, is expected to be one of the candidates pushing hard to succeed Raisi.

Aircraft Information:

Owner / Operator: Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF)

Aircraft: Bell 412

Registration: 6-9221