Iran mourns as President Ebrahim Raisi dies in helicopter crash

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister died in a helicopter crash while passing through a mountainous terrain in heavy fog.

Iranian foreign minster Hossein Amir Abdollahian was also found dead at the crash site along with President Raisi.

​The chopper carried other officials along with President Raisi and foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian which crashed in the mountains of northwestern Iran.

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, declares five days of mourning following the death of President Raisi in a helicopter crash. The nation mourns as condolences pour in from both within Iran and from international allies.

Yemen's Tehran-backed Huthi rebels on Monday mourned the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, saying his loss will be felt across the Muslim world, especially among Palestinians. Raisi's death "is a loss not only for Iran but also for the entire Islamic world and Palestine and Gaza," Huthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam said on X, adding that the Palestinians were "in dire need of the presence of such a president who continued to defend" their right to freedom.

Iranian authorities, aided by Turkish and Russian teams, were searching for the helicopter. Initial reports of fuel smells were mistaken. Over 70 rescue teams were involved, with international assistance including Turkish UAVs and Russian rescuers.

Akinci UAV detected a heat source, later confirmed as the wreckage of President Raisi's helicopter, and shared coordinates with Iranian authorities.

Following the death of President Raisi, vice president Mohammad Mokhber was appointed as interim president, as announced by Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei on Monday. Khamenei stated that Mokhber has a maximum of 50 days to organize and conduct elections to choose a new president. ​Deputy foreign minister Ali Bagheri Kani was also appointed as the acting minister by the Iranian cabinet.

The Iranian Red Crescent announced the completion of search operations for the victims of the helicopter crash, including President Ebrahim Raisi. Chief Pirhossein Koolivand confirmed the recovery of the bodies, stating they were being transported to Tabriz in the northwest of Iran.