Netizens believe Israel, US 'orchestrated' Iranian President's helicopter crash

Iranian President Syyed Ebrahim Raisi, along with his staff including Foreign Minister Hossein Hossein Amirabdollahian, was killed in a helicopter crash in the mountains of East Azerbaijan province, state media confirmed on Monday.

"President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, and a group of officials accompanying them were martyred in a helicopter crash in northwestern Iran," the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) said in a statement.

East Azarbaijan Province’s Governor Malek Rahmati, the head of Raisi’s guard team Mehdi Mousavi and Mohammad Ali Al-e-Hashem, the Supreme Leader’s representative in the East Azerbaijan province, were also onboard helicopter.

State media reported that rescuers located the helicopter's wreckage after a Turkish Akinci drone identified two "heat sources" in the village of Tawal.

The 63-year-old politician was in Azerbaijan on Sunday to inaugurate a dam alongside his counterpart Ilham Aliyev. 

After the ceremony, Raisi and his entourage departed in a convoy of three helicopters to inaugurate another project.

However, Raisi's helicopter lost contact shortly after taking off.

"At around 1 pm, the president left Tabriz to inaugurate two projects, but the helicopter lost contact shortly after leaving," the head of the search and rescue teams, Mohsen Mansouri told the media.

"Three helicopters left Tabriz, but, half an hour later, two lost contact with the one carrying the president," he added.

According to Iran's Interior Minister, a chopper carrying the country's high-officials crashed due to foggy weather.

However, the internet believed that the United States and Israel were involved in the killing of the Iranian President.

The tensions between Israel and Iran escalated after the latter launched hundreds of drones and missiles on the former last month in response to Israel’s attack on an Iranian diplomatic compound on April 1. 

Later, it was reported that Israel had launched a missile attack on an Iranian military base in the Isfahan province. However, the claimes were refuted by Iran.

Here's how social media users reacted to the sad news:

Here we go, another #helicoptercrash. If anyone challenges Israel or the US, this is what happens. Historically, a number of important political and military leaders have met their end in crashes, and #Iran's Ebrahim Raisi assassination falls into the same script. pic.twitter.com/f1HBeAfKms

— IAmFawad Official (@iamfawad25) May 20, 2024

There is absolutely ZERO doubt that Israel/Mossad is behind the assassination of Iranian President Raisi. This is with the help of the US CIA. Let's see what Iran does now. I would bomb Israel into oblivion & destroy all American military bases in the Middle East if I were Iran. pic.twitter.com/Pd2xGHXbgg

— Pendragon (@Pendrake00) May 20, 2024

The Israel 🇮🇱 MOSSAD and CIA are fully responsible for the death of Iran 🇮🇷 President Raisi and Foreign Minister of Iran 🇮🇷 Amir-Abdollahian two of the heroic resistance against Zionism and US imperialism. pic.twitter.com/tXYOJbOavt

— Sesinga Mavikithi (@themankhosi) May 20, 2024

Hamas group has no reason to kill Iranian president because he supported them .It's either Israel or the US.#Israel #Iran

— 𝕁𝕚𝕣𝕖𝕩 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕊𝕚𝕘𝕞𝕒 (@jirex_the_sigma) May 20, 2024