Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the country’s foreign minister and others have been found dead at the site of a helicopter crash after an hourslong search through a foggy, mountainous region of the country’s northwest, state media reported. Raisi was 63.
State TV gave no immediate cause for the crash in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province.
Mohammad Mokhber: Iran’s first vice president is set to serve as the country’s acting president until elections are held.
Iran faces a shortage of parts to maintain aircraft. Iran’s state media said the helicopter that crashed was a Bell 212 that Iran purchased in the early 2000s. Bell produced that model from 1968 until 1998.
Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst and consultant, said Iran likely is tapping the black market for parts amid sanctions on the country. But he said Iran had access to an alternative in Russian helicopters.
“They are blaming sanctions, and that’s correct, but there are no sanctions whatsoever on (Iran buying) Russian helicopters, and Russian helicopters are pretty good. They didn’t have to fly this guy around” in such an old machine, Aboulafia said. “They are blaming sanctions for their own incompetence. You could buy an MI-17 anytime. It’s what Vladimir Putin flies in.”
Aboulafia also questioned whether Iran has maintenance skills necessary for keeping older helicopters flying safely. “There are a lot of parts available on the black market, especially for a 212 – that’s a very old machine,” he said. “Half-century-old helicopters, if immaculately maintained, are OK. But black-market parts and whatever local maintenance capabilities they’ve got – that’s not a good combination.”
After the news first broke of the search operation, countries including Russia, Iraq and Qatar made formal statements of concern about Raisi’s fate and offered to assist in the search.
Azerbaijani President Aliyev offered any support necessary. Relations between the two countries have been chilly due to Azerbaijan’s diplomatic relations with Israel, Iran’s regional arch-enemy.
Saudi Arabia, traditionally a rival of Iran although the two countries have recently made a rapprochement, said it stands by “Iran in these difficult circumstances.”
ASSOCIATED PRESS
