Iran's president and foreign minister killed in helicopter crash

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian were among the nine people who died when their helicopter crashed in the country's mountainous north-west during bad weather, state media reported on Monday.

The Iranian Cabinet convened a second emergency meeting in less than 24 hours following the confirmation of the deaths, Iranian media also reported.

Iranian Vice President Mohammad Mokhber had already chaired a meeting on Sunday evening after the helicopter went missing over East Azerbaijan Province. All nine people on board died.

According to protocol, with Raisi's death, Mokhber should assume power, pending approval from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. New elections will then have to be held within 50 days.

On Monday morning, state news agency IRNA published images taken by a drone showing debris from what appeared to be a completely destroyed aircraft on a steep slope in the middle of the forest.

Raisi and Amirabdollahian were travelling back from a meeting with the president of neighbouring Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, when their helicopter disappeared from radar in dense fog on Sunday afternoon. The Iranians helped to inaugurate a dam in Azerbaijan that was jointly built by the sides.

The entourage then made its way back to Iran in a total of three helicopters. But while the other two helicopters arrived safely, the president's never returned.

Speculation then arose as to whether the crash was due to bad weather, a technical defect in the helicopter or even sabotage. Iranian officials have yet to give a cause.

Poor weather conditions had made the search for the crash site arduous overnight. The remote, muddy route was inaccessible by road, forcing rescue teams to proceed on foot, according to local reports.

Iran's air force is considered to be outdated and its modernization is making little progress in the face of tough international sanctions.

Many of Iran's aircraft date back to the time before the Islamic Revolution of 1979, when the country maintained close relations with the United States.

Raisi was sworn in as Iran's new president in August 2021. He won the presidential election in June with just under 62% of the vote as the leading candidate of the political hardliners and the preferred candidate and protégé of Khamenei.

According to Iran's constitution, despite the title of president Raisi was only number two in the country's power structure as Khamenei functions as the head of state and has the final say in all strategic matters. He is also commander-in-chief of Iran's armed forces.

Experts had tipped Raisi as a possible successor to Khamenei, who turned 85 in April.

Domestically, Raisi has been under pressure as young Iranians are increasingly criticizing the Islamic Republic.

Raisi's government has been criticized for years for its arch-conservative values, the suppression of civil rights and the severe economic crisis in Iran.