TEHRAN, Iran — Eight others, including Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, died in the helicopter crash that killed President Ebrahim Raisi, Iranian media reported.
According to these reports, the crash also claimed the lives of Mahdi Musavi, the head of the president’s protection unit; Malek Rahmati, the governor of East Azerbaijan; a member of the Ansar al-Mahdi Corps; the helicopter pilot; the co-pilot; and an unidentified crew member.
Earlier, Mohsen Mansouri, Iran’s vice president for executive affairs, confirmed Raisi’s death.
The state-run Mehr News Agency reported that Raisi and all passengers on the helicopter had died.
The cause of the helicopter crash remains unclear, but Mehr News Agency reported that it occurred amid “adverse weather conditions.”
The helicopter carrying Iran’s president crashed while returning from the Azerbaijan border to the city of Tabriz. Iranian media have confirmed the deaths of Amirabdollahian and the other passengers.
