By Girish Linganna
May 20: On May 19, 2024, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian were presumed dead after their helicopter crashed near Varzaqan due to bad weather. Iranian state news channels IRINN and Mehr News are reporting that Ebrahim Raisi is believed to be dead. They say there were no survivors found at the crash site of the helicopter he was traveling in.
The helicopter was part of a group of three traveling through foggy conditions in Iran's East Azerbaijan province as the president returned from a trip to Azerbaijan. At least 40 rescue teams were sent to the area, but the mountainous terrain and poor visibility made it difficult for them to reach the crash site, according to state media.
Raisi was on his way back from launching the Qiz Qalasi Dam project with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev when the helicopter crashed in Iran's East Azerbaijan province.
Iran has faced multiple high-profile helicopter crashes recently, largely due to sanctions that restrict access to parts and maintenance for government aircraft. Last year, the youth and sports minister survived a crash that claimed his adviser's life and injured others. In another incident, a provincial police commander was injured during a crash on official duty in a western province.
The Red Crescent has reported that several of its helicopters are out of service because of funding shortages.
After Raisi's death, First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber will assume the role of interim leader. Iranian regulations require an election to select a permanent leader. Experts suggest that this shift in leadership is expected to have minimal impact on the country.
Raisi, a powerful figure in Iranian politics, has been seen as the likely successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's highest authority. The 63-year-old Raisi, who served in Iran's judiciary, was elected president in 2021.
Raisi, a conservative politician with deep roots in the judiciary and religious circles, first ran for president in 2017 but was unsuccessful. He was eventually elected in 2021.
During his three years as president, Raisi has implemented stricter rules on women's clothing, cracked down on protests against the government, worked to increase Iran's influence in the region, and ordered the country's first direct attack on Israel this year.
Raisi was a conservative politician with strong religious beliefs.
Iran's Judiciary : A Power Play
Raisi was born in Mashhad, a city in northeastern Iran. He was a teenager when the Iranian Revolution began, and at the age of 20, he became a prosecutor in Karaj.
Over the following years, Raisi climbed the ranks of Iran's judicial system, supporting the newly formed Islamic Republic against its opponents.Raisi held several important positions in Iran's judicial system, including prosecutor for Tehran, head of the anti-corruption office, and prosecutor general of the Special Court for the Clergy.
Clergy are religious leaders authorized to conduct worship services and provide spiritual guidance within their respective faith communities. Examples include priests, rabbis, and imams.
Raisi became a very powerful figure in the government as head of the judiciary. He portrayed himself as a fighter against corruption, but also used his position to eliminate those who disagreed with the government.
Human rights organizations have accused Raisi of being involved in politically motivated executions and unfair imprisonments. Amnesty International claims he was part of a group that, under Khomeini's orders, secretly disappeared and killed many people who opposed the government in prisons near Tehran in 1988, during the final stages of Iran's war with Iraq.
When questioned about these accusations, Raisi responded to reporters by saying, "If a judge or prosecutor has protected the safety of the people, they should be commended (or Praised). I am proud to have defended human rights in every role I've held."
Despite the accusations of his involvement in the deaths of thousands, human rights groups believe that this has actually made him more popular among conservative Iranian voters.
In 2019, the U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on Raisi because he was appointed by the Iranian supreme leader. The Treasury Department stated that this network has "oppressed the Iranian people, supported terrorism, and promoted destabilizing policies globally." They also claimed Raisi was involved in the government's harsh response to the Green Movement protests after the disputed 2009 election, and was part of the "death commission" in 1988.
Raisi: Khamenei's choice
Raisi's win in the 2021 presidential election against the more moderate Hassan Rouhani marked a return to power for hardliners. This solidified their control over the government. It wasn't a surprise, as Raisi was seen as Khamenei's choice, and the religious leadership worked to support his campaign and block his opponents.
Raisi, similar to Khamenei, believes in a strict interpretation of Islamic law as the foundation for the country and its government.
Hassan Rouhani's government signed the 2015 nuclear deal with several world powers, including the United States. Raisi, however, has shown little interest in engaging in diplomatic talks with the United States or other Western countries.
Raisi took over a country facing many challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing unrest and protests against the government, a struggling economy due to sanctions, escalating tensions with Israel, and stalled negotiations with other countries about reviving the nuclear deal.
Protests Met with Brutality
The death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died in police custody after being arrested for allegedly breaking Iran's strict dress code for women, sparked a massive uprising. This was one of the biggest challenges to the religious leadership since the 1979 revolution. Thousands of Iranians, especially women and young people, took to the streets to protest against oppression and economic hardship.
The government, under Raisi's leadership, responded to the protests by using force. Security forces cracked down on the demonstrations, resulting in the deaths of hundreds and injuries and arrests of thousands, according to human rights organizations.
Show of force: Not war
Iran and Israel have been involved in a long-running, secret conflict for many years. Things escalated in April when Iran launched its first direct military attack on Israel, firing over 300 missiles and drones.
Iran claimed the attack was revenge for an Israeli airstrike on a diplomatic building in Damascus, Syria, which killed top Iranian military leaders. Israel said they intercepted 99% of the Iranian missiles and drones. The attack seemed to be a display of power and a way to avoid escalating the conflict in the Middle East, as Israel is currently fighting in Gaza.
(The author Girish Linganna of this article is a Defence, Aerospace & Political Analyst based in Bengaluru. He is also Director of ADD Engineering Components, India, Pvt. Ltd, a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany. You can reach out to him at:
girishlinganna@gmail.com)