Raisi's Body Ferried Around the Country as Calls for Investigation Grow

Iran International has wrapped up its live coverage of the reactions to and developments surrounding the deaths of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Amir-Abdollahian, the foreign minister and other high-level officials in a chopper crash on Sunday.

You can continue to follow our latest updates from our website here.

Russian President Vladimir Putin praised the late president of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi, as a reliable partner always good to his word and asked the chairman of parliament on Tuesday to convey his sympathy at memorial events.

"He was truly a reliable partner, a man sure of himself, who acted in the national interest. He was, of course, a man of his word and it was always good to work with him. What I mean is if we came to an agreement on something, you could be sure the agreement was carried out," Putin said.

The Kremlin leader asked Volodin, who will be attending memorial events in Iran, to pass on "words of our sincere condolences in connection with this tragedy".

China will continue to strengthen strategic cooperation with Iran, safeguard common interests, and make endeavors for regional and world peace, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in talks on Tuesday with Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Mahdi Safari, while attending a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

"Iran has lost outstanding leaders and China has lost good friends and partners, said Wang, according to Xinhua news.

"Given the horrible acts that he (Ebrahim Raisi) engaged in, both as a judge and as president, to the extent he can no longer engage in them, yes, the Iranian people are probably better off" now that he is dead, US Secretary of State Tony Blinken said in a heated exchange with Senator Ted Cruz during a US Senate hearing on Tuesday.

The uncle and aunt of Pouya Bakhtiari, the young Iranian protester killed during Iran's 2019 protests, have revealed that their cousin Behrouz Ghadimi was the flight technician of the Iranian president's chopper that crashed on Sunday, killing Ghadimi and all the officials on board.

Mehrdad and Saba Bakhtiari broke the news in separate posts on Instagram and X.

Asked about his position on President Ebrahim Raisi's death, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters on Tuesday that "obviously what we all want to see is regional stability at this particular moment," but Ottawa's "focus is on the Iranian people."

"There are significant tensions in the Middle East that means any uncertainties need to be smoothed over, but our focus with regards to Iran is the Iranian people who deserve more rights, more freedoms, deserve to be living in a democracy and who continue to call for that bravely in the face of the government that continues to oppress and marginalize and attack its own people," he told reporters during a visit to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Asked if his government has reached out to send any message to Iran, he said, "We continue to want to see regional stability."

After funerals in the cities of Tabriz and Qom, the bodies of President Ebrahim Raisi and the other officials killed in the Sunday chopper crash were transferred to Tehran on Tuesday afternoon, where a "farewell" ceremony was held at the Grand Mosalla Mosque.

At the main funeral slated for Wednesday, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei will pray for the dead, before they are moved to the northeastern Iranian cities of Birjand and Mashhad for their last two funerals.

Republican Senator John Barrasso on Tuesday described Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi as "a mass murderer who targeted, threatened, and attacked Americans."

It is "shocking" and "a terrible mistake" that the Biden admin issued a statement mourning the death of "the Butcher of Tehran", Senator Barrasso told Secretary of State Anthony Blinken during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing.

Defending the statement, Blinken said, "It's something that we do as a normal course of business" and that "changes nothing about the fact that Raisi was engaged in reprehensible conduct including repressing his own people" and "changes nothing about our policy."

In their bid to keep Western media attention focused on President Raisi's funeral, Iranian authorities are targeting the families of slain protesters who expressed joy over his death on social platforms.

Writing on X, Foad Choobin said his sisters Hengameh Choobin and Roja Choobin were threatened by Iranian intelligence agents on Tuesday. They were warned that if they continued posting stories on social media to celebrate Raisi’s death, they would “kill their other children too.”

Hengameh Choobin is the mother of Artin Rahmani, a 17-year-old protester killed by regime forces in November 2022.Rahmani was killed on the same night as another youth, 10-year-old Kian Pirfalak amid nationwide anti-regime protests, dubbed the ‘Woman Life Freedom’ uprising.

Pope Francis has expressed his condolences to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei following the deaths of President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Vatican announced.

"Entrusting the souls of the deceased to the mercy of the Almighty, and with prayers for those who mourn their loss, especially their families, I send the assurance of spiritual closeness to the nation at this difficult time," Pope’s Telegram to Khamenei read.

Iran-backed Houthi rebels of Yemen held a memorial for late President Raisi in Sanaa.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) described Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's tenure as one marked by “terror, danger, and oppression,” citing incidents such as the killing of women protesting against mandatory hijab and support for terrorist groups attacking Israelis.

Johnson also stated that he would maintain close contact with national security officials as more information about Raisi’s helicopter crash became available.

“In these fateful days, we pray for stability in the Middle East, for Iranian leaders who will seek to live at peace with their neighbors and the West, and for the day when the flag of freedom will be raised in Iran, he added.

A team of search and rescue motorcyclists involved in the operation to find Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi say that the wreckage of the helicopter was "completely exploded and everything was burned."

They also reported finding the bodies of Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian close together but were barred from publishing any videos for "security reasons."

The search operation, which lasted over 15 hours, concluded successfully with the reported aid of a night-vision drone provided by Turkey. The prolonged delay in locating the helicopter, which also carried six others, intensified criticism of the Iranian government's efficiency -- this time, when managing crises involving its own top leaders.

Read More...

The United Nations headquarters in New York City lowered its flag to half-mast as a "mark of respect" for the passing of Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi, the international organization announced.

“All offices and duty stations are encouraged to lower their flags on this occasion,” it added in its statement.

Authorities in Iran have denied that Turkey played a role in locating the wreckage of President Ebrahim Raisi's helicopter.

Following the crash, Iranian rescue teams struggled to locate the crash site, prompting Turkey and Russia to assist. Turkey deployed a night-vision drone, which reportedly helped conclude the search after more than 15 hours.

However, officials from both the Red Crescent and the Islamic Revolutoinary Guards (IRGC) are now suggesting that the coordinates provided by the Turkish drone were incorrect.

Red Crescent head Pir-Hossein Kolivand and IRGC Commander Asghar Abasgholizadeh said that it was ultimately Iranian forces who discovered the crash site. This position was reiterated by the country's state-run news agency, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB).

Despite these claims, a live broadcast of the Turkish drone operation was shown by the Anadolu news agency, indicating Turkey's active involvement in the search efforts.

Iran’s Cyber Police Chief Vahid Majid announced the launch of criminal cases against dozens of individuals accused of distributing "false and insulting" content online and on social media about President Raisi and other officials who died in the helicopter crash on Sunday.

According to Majid, “550 specialized observations” have been conducted over the past one and a half days, leading to the identification of 80 websites and 35 enforcement actions, including summons notices and court referrals.

Following Raisi's death, a large number of Iranians expressed joy on social media—a stark contrast to the official mourning period declared by the Supreme Leader. Analysts believe this reaction highlights the deep divisions between the Iranian state and its people, stemming from widespread resentment toward a government perceived as oppressive and economically incompetent.

Mohammad Aghamiri, a Tehran City Council member and its Civil Committee chairman, said on Tuesday that speculation is rife about the circumstances surrounding President Ebrahim Raisi's helicopter crash.

“There has been speculation that it may not have been an accident, so the security and military forces should investigate this issue,” Aghamiri stated.

State media presented numerous conflicting accounts in the immediate aftermath of the crash. This, along with the reported disregard for protocols—specifically issuing a permit during a weather amber warning—and Raisi’s significant role as the potential next Supreme Leader, has led to questions about whether this was merely an accident.

'Reformist' politician and MP Masoud Pezeshkian criticized the approval of Ebrahim Raisi's helicopter flight, citing adverse weather conditions.

Pezeshkian expressed surprise that a permit was issued despite warnings about poor weather prior to the crash.

The fatal helicopter crash that killed President Ebrahim Raisi in Iran's remote western mountains occurred under heavy fog, which persisted for over 15 hours.

Narjes Soleimani, a Tehran City Council member and daughter of slain IRGC Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani, has proposed renaming "Soleimani Highway" in Tehran in honor of Raisi.

The head of the Tehran City Council, Mehdi Chamran, rejected the proposal and said "an appropriate street" would be named after him. “[For] every martyr, there is a place.”

Tehran's east-west highway, previously called “Resalat,” was renamed Soleimani when the commander was killed in 2020 on the order of then-US President Donald Trump.

A video has surfaced on social media, purportedly showing a group of Gazans celebrating the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi while handing out sweets.

Hamas expressed its condolences on Monday for the sudden sdeath of Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

Gazans, however, told AFP on Monday that Raisi’s legacy is marred by his inaction regarding the Palestinian territory's problems.

“He never supported us, never kept his promises, never called for a ceasefire, and never stood by us. He does not concern us at all,” said Naji Khodeir, a Gazan resident.

“He means nothing to us and nothing to Gaza,” said ΒilalKhodary, a displaced Gazan.

Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel was hailed by Iran, which financially and militarily supports the militant group. However, Tehran denies any involvement in the attack that sparked an ongoing conflict that has resulted in more than 35,000 deaths.

A similar video shows people from Syria cheering Raisi's death.

Journalist Manijeh Moazen says Iranian authorities launched legal action against her for "the manner in which she shared information and reacted to the death of President Ebrahim Raisi."

Without revealing specifics, she mentioned on X that she still faces three charges from a separate case, for which she was temporarily detained. A year ago, Moazen was arrested in Tehran and held at an undisclosed location for 19 days, with no reason given for her detention.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, commenting on the helicopter crash that killed President Raisi, said on Tuesday that US sanctions had worsened aviation safety.

On Monday, Mohammad Javad Zarif, former Foreign Minister of Iran, also blamed American sanctions on aviation parts for the crash.

"One of the culprits behind yesterday’s tragedy is the United States, because of its sanctions that bar Iran from procuring essential aviation parts," Zarif asserted.

Read More...

Iran’s Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi said at President Ebrahim Raisi's funeral ceremony in Tabriz that "in any other country, this incident would have a very dark future, but with the supreme eader's presence and the peace he conveyed in his message, we will easily handle these issues."

In the hours leading up to the announcement of Raisi’s death, Khamenei's remarks about him and the future of the country without his presidency had already caught the attention of analysts.

They compared the lack of warmth in his tone while talking about Raisi as opposed to a similar situation in 2020 when he was sobbing over the death of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force Qasem Soleimani, who was killed on the order of then-US President Donald Trump.

Two unnamed sources told Reuters that Raisi was removed from the Assembly of Experts' list of potential successors six months ago due to his declining popularity amid Iran's economic crisis. The country's soaring inflation rate and the freefall of the national currency, the rial, reportedly contributed to his removal.

The Supreme Leader is appointed by an 88-member Assembly of Experts.

One insider, however, told Reuters that influential pro-Raisi clerics had launched a vigorous campaign to reinstate his name.

According to Iran experts, Ebrahim Raisi, the Assembly's former deputy chairman, was the most likely candidate for the post of chairman, which could have significantly influenced his selection of the Supreme Leader.

Shaghayegh Mohammadi, the wife of Esteghlal FC player Mohammad Hossein Moradmand, reported receiving a call and threat from authorities after posting a poem on Instagram, implicitly celebrating Raisi’s death.

The poem, written by prominent 14th-century poet Hafez, read "Let us rejoice that the cruel battle is ending."

In another story, Mohammadi wrote "I have no wish for anything except freedom, which belongs to all human beings."

Funeral ceremonies for Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi commenced this morning in Tabriz, East Azarbaijan province. Their bodies will be flown later in the day to the central Iranian city of Qom, home to one of the revered shrines and religious seminaries where Raisi studied.

Following the second funeral in Qom, they will be brought to the capital Tehran, where Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is expected to lead congregational funeral prayers for them. The Grand Mosalla Mosque in Tehran will host a "farewell" ceremony on Tuesday night.

On Thursday, according to the itinerary, Raisi will be taken to his hometown of Mashhad for burial at the revered shrine of Imam Reza. There will be another ceremony in Birjand in South Khorasan province before Raisi is laid to rest in Mashhad.

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has declared five days of national mourning following the president's death.

A national holiday has also been declared for Wednesday.

93-year-old cleric Mohammad Ali Movahedi Kermani has been elected as the new chairman of the Assembly of Experts for Leadership with 55 votes. The session was attended by 83 members of the Assembly.

Ahmad Jannati, 97, who previously held the position, did not seek re-election for the sixth term of the Assembly, officially ending his tenure.

According to the Assembly's internal regulations, Movahedi Kermani will serve as chairman for a two-year term.

In March, the now-deceased Raisi was re-elected to Iran’s Assembly of Experts with over 82% of the votes in South Khorasan. Prior to that, in January, Iran’s Guardian Council had barred all other candidates, making Raisi the sole contender.

This would have been Raisi’s third consecutive term representing the province in the Assembly, which is responsible for selecting a successor to Iran’s 85-year-old Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, in the event of his death.

Just two days after the death of Ebrahim Raisi, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei sent a message to the newly elected Assembly of experts, inaugurating their maiden session. Raisi was expected to become chairman of the Assembly, and now observers are watching to see who that person would be. The role of the chairman could be a key factor in the selection of a new Supreme Leader in case of Khamenei's passing.