Helicopter Search Hampered by Severe Weather
Raishi, Hardliners in West and Israel
"Middle East Tensions Inevitable... Israel Unrelated"
Tensions are rising across the Middle East as a helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi crashed on the 19th (local time). The president's condition remains unconfirmed.
According to Iran's state-run IRNA news agency, the helicopter carrying President Raisi crashed in the mountainous region of northwestern Iran that afternoon, and search efforts have been hampered by severe weather. Iranian authorities have dispatched over 60 rescue teams, mobilizing the military, police, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to conduct search operations. However, heavy rain, snow, fog, and rugged terrain have made it difficult even to locate the crash site. An anonymous Iranian official told foreign media, "Rescue teams are struggling to reach the accident site," adding, "We still hold hope, but based on the information coming from the scene, it is indeed very concerning."
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei reassured the Iranian people, stating, "This accident will not disrupt the governance of the country." Hundreds of citizens gathered on the streets of Tehran and other cities to pray for President Raisi's safe return.
Hardliner President Raisi of Iran
President Raisi, who was elected in June 2021 with 62% of the vote, is considered a hardliner hostile to the West, including the United States, Europe, and Israel. He is known for violently suppressing the "Hijab protests," which were triggered by the suspicious death of a woman in 2022 who was accused of not wearing her hijab properly. Raisi has long been regarded as a leading candidate to succeed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the highest-ranking official in Iran.
The Associated Press (AP) highlighted the significance of the helicopter crash amid the escalating Israel-Hamas conflict, suggesting that the incident could have widespread repercussions throughout the Middle East. Since the 1979 revolution, Iran has actively supported armed groups in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Palestinian territories, often indirectly, positioning itself as the most proactive force opposing the West and Israel in the region. Hamas, an ally of Iran, issued a statement expressing "full solidarity with the Iranian leadership, government, and people" regarding the incident.
Heightened Conflicts with the U.S. and Israel This Year
Although Iran has engaged in a "shadow war" rather than full-scale conflict with Israel, under President Raisi's administration, it launched its first-ever attack on Israeli territory in April, reinforcing its ultra-hardline image. During a visit to Sri Lanka last month, Raisi declared, "The Israeli regime has oppressed Palestinians and seized their land for 75 years," emphasizing the need to "punish the usurpers (Israeli authorities)."
Foreign media are closely monitoring Israel's response. However, AP reported that "there is no evidence linking Israel to the helicopter crash." Israel has not issued any official statement regarding the incident. Other Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), regardless of their existing relations with Iran, have pledged to assist in the search efforts.
The New York Times (NYT) noted that the crash announcement came amid ongoing diplomatic tensions between Iran and the United States over nuclear development and other issues. Iranian officials have openly mentioned the possibility of developing nuclear weapons. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Iran's foreign minister who was aboard the crashed helicopter, met last week with Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), to demand better access to Iran's nuclear facilities. Earlier this year, pro-Iranian militias in Syria and Iraq killed three U.S. soldiers in drone attacks, and the pro-Iranian Houthi rebels repeatedly seized international vessels, provoking U.S. backlash.
Under President Raisi's administration, Iran has also emerged as a key ally of Russia. The West suspects that a significant portion of the drones used by Russia in its war against Ukraine were supplied by Iran. According to AFP, Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly ordered the urgent dispatch of two airplanes, several helicopters, and 50 rescue personnel to Iran.
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