Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Known as Butcher of Tehran, was killed when a helicopter carrying Iranian government officials crashed in a remote region of the country Sunday.
Raisi, 63, his foreign minister and other passengers were found dead Monday morning.
From The New York Post:
State news agency Mehr reported “All passengers of the helicopter carrying the Iranian president and foreign minister were martyred.”
An Israeli official quickly denied the country had any involvement in the crash.
“It wasn’t us,” the official said Monday.
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who holds ultimate power with the final say on foreign policy and Iran’s nuclear program, said First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber would take over as interim president, the state’s IRNA news agency reported.
“I announce five days of public mourning and offer my condolences to the dear people of Iran,” Khamenei said in a statement.
A senior Iranian official had earlier confirmed that Raisi was killed in the wreck after state media reported there was “no sign of life” at the crash site.
This story is developing…
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Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the ‘Butcher of Tehran,’ killed in helicopter crash https://t.co/meeSP3Qh06
— New York Post (@nypost) May 20, 2024