Iranian Military Dismisses Speculations Surrounding Fatal Crash of Ex-President
In a recent development, Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff has addressed the tragic helicopter crash that resulted in the death of former President Ebrahim Ra’eesi. The incident, which took place in May 2024, has been the subject of speculation, with many questioning the circumstances surrounding the accident. The General Staff’s statement seeks to clarify the causes behind this unfortunate event.
The communication center of the General Staff released a statement on Saturday, emphasizing that an extensive investigation concluded that the crash was solely due to the “complicated weather and geographical conditions of the region.” This incident involved the presidential helicopter, which went down in a mountainous area in northwest Iran.
Key points from the General Staff’s statement include:
- The crash was not caused by technical failures.
- There is no evidence of sabotage, terrorist attacks, explosions, or electronic warfare.
- Speculations circulating online regarding President Ra’eesi’s death are unfounded and disconnected from reality.
The statement also criticized the claims emerging on social media platforms, asserting that such assertions stem from ignorance or are made with specific ulterior motives. Additionally, it was noted that the brother of Ra’eesi’s security chief had previously expressed concerns about the presidential entourage’s trip to the border with Azerbaijan.
Iranian parliament member Hamid Rasa’ee further remarked, “What happened to the president of this country [Ebrahim Ra’eesi] remains a question mark, and no one has yet been able to erase this question.”
Tragically, President Ra’eesi, along with Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and six others, lost their lives when their helicopter crashed and subsequently caught fire on May 19, 2024. President Ra’eesi was laid to rest at the Shrine of Imam Reza (AS) in Mashhad, northeastern Iran.
