By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The President of Iran, Mr Ebrahim Raisi, has died in a helicopter crash alongside eight other persons, including the country’s Foreign Minister, Mr Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.
His death came a few weeks after Iran fired missiles into Israel, which did not do major damage to the target nation, which also responded sparingly.
According to several Iranian news platforms, the main cause of the air mishap that claimed the life of 63-year-old Mr Raisi on Sunday night has not been confirmed.
However, there are fears that the unfortunate incident could be linked to Israel, which could trigger fresh unrest in the Middle East, especially as the invasion of Gaza is still ongoing.
Mr Raisi became president in a historically uncompetitive election in 2021 and was the second-most powerful person in the Islamic Republic’s political structure after Supreme Leader, Mr Ayatollah Ali Khomeini.
Mr Ali Khamenei has urged Iranians to remain calm about the leadership of the Islamic Republic, saying “there will be no disruption in the country’s work”.
“We hope that Almighty God will bring our dear president and his companions back in full health into the arms of the nation,” he said in a nationally televised address as Muslim faithful prayed for Mr Raisi’s safe return.
The Iranian Constitution mandates that, in the case of the president’s death, the first vice president assumes office with the approval of the Supreme Leader.