Iranian President Raisi Killed in Helicopter Crash
Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian were killed Sunday in a helicopter crash in the Dizmar forest in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province.
Raisi, who was returning to Tehran after a visit to a dam opening ceremonia on the Azerbaijan border was nicknamed the “Butcher of Tehran” due to his supervision of mass executions of political prisoners in 1988.
The helicopter also carried three crew members, bringing the death toll to eight. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
The international community has expressed condolences, with the United Nations Security Council observing a moment of silence at the request of Russia, China, and Algeria.
However, some human rights advocates have questioned the propriety of such gestures given Raisi’s human rights record. Raisi’s presidency was marred by a crackdown on dissent and human rights abuses, including the jailing of people for dancing, social media activity, and women who broke the country’s strict dress code.
The State Department spokesperson, Matthew Miller, defended the U.S. participation in the moment of silence, saying that while Raisi’s death should not be celebrated, it does not erase his record of human rights violations.
The U.S. Senate Chaplain, Barry Black, also acknowledged Raisi’s death during his invocation, saying “And Lord, we pray for the Iranian people who mourn the death of their president.”
