Iran In Shock After Deadly Fall Of Its President – OpEd

After more than 15 hours the Iranian rescue teams managed to get to the fallen helicopter that killed president Ebrahim Raisi, his Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahain and the accompanying diplomatic team. 

t was a grueling search and rescue operation that involved moving on foot because of the difficult terrain of the mountainous, woods and forest areas in the north east region of Iran in the east Azebirgan province. 

While nobody is discounting foul play because the two other helicopters with the ‘presidential plane’ and which arrived safely at their destination in Tabriz, especially bad weather with strong wind and rain is being blamed on the final plane crash. 

All international agencies as well as the social media have followed the news of the search and rescue with trepidation. Some on the social media have been quick to blame Israel for being behind the crash. And who can blame them,  for Israel has long been associated with killing top Iranian generals and nuclear scientists.

Now Iran is in deep mourning and the shock is still to be absorbed for arrangements for different ceremonies and funerals are being made as eight people were killed on the helicopter including the personal body of Raisi who is known as a hardliner but have followed a pragmatic course to building relationships with the Arab world, Saudi Arabia, Russia and even the USA talking indirectly through Oman.

Raising had been in power for only three years. He was to complete his tenure next year in 2025. However while the search was continuing the country’s spiritual leader Ali Khamenei said the terrible incident wouldn’t affect the affairs of state.

Raisi’s first vice-president Mohammad Mokhbeir has already held an emergency cabinet meeting in Tehran. Constitutionally, he would be ruling with a committee of the speaker of the head of parliament and head of the judiciary for the next 50 days till a new president is elected.

It is not clear whether he would serve for one year or for full four years but this will be decided in the next weeks ahead and according to the interpretation of the constitution that would involve different political, constitutional, parliamentarian and constitutional authorities in the country.

What is for sure is the tragic incident has rekindled brotherly relations between Iran and different countries of the region. As soon as they heard, Iraq, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait and Turkey offered their help in the rescue operations with news that Ankara was actively taking part in the search.

Raisi was coming from an official ceremony related to a dam project ceremony with the Azerbaijan president Ilham Aliyev. 

The death of Raisi, 63, and his foreign minister is likely to produce new soul-searching among the Iranian political and diplomatic establishment but the status quo and stability will continue according to Ali Khamenei who is the final arbiter in the Iranian political system.