Ebrahim Raisi, Iran’s hard-line president, has long been regarded as a protégé of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and a potential successor within the country’s Shiite theocracy. News of his helicopter making a “hard landing” in foggy weather on Sunday has cast a spotlight on the controversial leader, who already faces significant scrutiny and sanctions from the U.S. and other nations due to his involvement in the mass execution of prisoners in 1988.
Raisi, 63, has a notable history within Iran’s political and judicial landscape. Before becoming president, he ran the country’s judiciary and made an unsuccessful bid for the presidency in 2017, losing to Hassan Rouhani, a relatively moderate cleric who was instrumental in securing the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers. In 2021, Raisi ran again in an election heavily criticized for barring all his significant opponents, securing nearly 62% of the votes in an election marked by the lowest voter turnout percentage in the Islamic Republic’s history.
The 1988 executions remain a dark chapter in Iran’s history, often associated with Raisi. During the end of the Iran-Iraq war, Iran’s then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini accepted a U.N.-brokered ceasefire. However, around the same time, members of the Iranian opposition group Mujahedeen-e-Khalq (MEK), armed by Saddam Hussein, launched a surprise attack on Iran. The subsequent trials, now infamously known as “death commissions,” saw sham retrials where prisoners were questioned about their affiliations and willingness to support the Islamic Republic’s army. Those who identified with the MEK or were deemed uncooperative were executed. International rights groups estimate that up to 5,000 people were executed during this period, and Raisi played a significant role in these commissions.
In 2019, the U.S. Treasury sanctioned Raisi for his role in overseeing the executions and for his involvement in the torture and cruel treatment of prisoners, including juveniles. These sanctions highlighted his administrative oversight during the 1988 executions and his general conduct within the judicial system.
As president, Raisi has supported Iran’s contentious policies, including the enrichment of uranium close to weapons-grade levels and obstructing international inspectors. His administration has also been linked to aggressive actions against Israel, including a significant drone and missile attack in April in retaliation for a suspected Israeli assault that killed Iranian generals in Damascus, Syria. This incident was part of a broader shadow war between Iran and Israel.
Raisi’s presidency has also been marked by a severe crackdown on dissent. Following the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022, who was arrested for not wearing her hijab correctly, nationwide protests erupted. The government’s response was brutal, with security forces killing over 500 protesters and detaining more than 22,000 individuals. A United Nations investigative panel later found that Iran was responsible for the physical violence leading to Amini’s death.
The helicopter incident on Sunday occurred in the foggy, mountainous region of East Azerbaijan province near Jolfa, close to the border with Azerbaijan, approximately 600 kilometers northwest of Tehran. Raisi was traveling with Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and other officials. Conflicting reports have emerged regarding whether the helicopter crashed or made a hard landing, but a large-scale rescue operation was launched amid poor weather conditions.
Neither state TV nor the IRNA news agency provided immediate updates on Raisi’s condition, but calls for public prayers were widespread. State TV aired continuous images of people praying at significant religious sites across Iran, highlighting the gravity of the situation.
Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi confirmed that severe weather conditions, including dense fog, forced the helicopter to make a hard landing. Rescue teams faced significant challenges due to poor visibility and harsh weather, including heavy rain and wind. The mountainous terrain of the region further complicated rescue efforts.
This incident adds to the already complex and tense atmosphere surrounding Raisi’s presidency, marked by international confrontations, internal unrest, and a hardline stance on dissent and judicial matters.
In this photo provided by Moj News Agency, rescue teams are seen near the site of the incident of the helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Varzaghan in northwestern Iran, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (Azin Haghighi, Moj News Agency via AP)
