Iran state media declares Raisi dead, no official confirmation

In this photo provided by Moj News Agency, rescue teams are seen near the site of the incident of the helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Varzaghan in northwestern Iran, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (Azin Haghighi, Moj News Agency via AP)
In this photo provided by Moj News Agency, rescue teams are seen near the site of the incident of the helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Varzaghan in northwestern Iran, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (Azin Haghighi, Moj News Agency via AP)

Iranian state media declares President Ebrahim Raisi dead after his helicopter crashed in a mountainous northwestern region, but there has not yet been any official confirmation.

“The servant of Iranian nation, Ayatollah Ebrahim Raisi has achieved the highest level of martyrdom whilst serving the people,” state television says, with Mehr news agency also saying he was dead.

State TV broadcast photos of Raisi, with the voice of a man reciting the Koran playing in the background.

“The president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ebrahim Raisi, had an accident while serving and performing his duty for the people of Iran and was martyred,” Iran’s Mehr agency says as other media outlets also reported the news.

Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian is also declared dead.

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