- Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and other officials died in a plane crash in East Azerbaijan, with weather and topography suspected as causes.
- Raisi was known for his strict policies on Iran's nuclear deal, morality laws, and support for Hamas, making him a divisive figure.
- Despite Raisi's death, Iran's Supreme Leader stated there will be no change in foreign policy, though historical patterns suggest potential shifts with new leadership.
While returning back from Azerbaijan, a province of Iran, after the inauguration of a mage-dam on last Sunday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi along with other officials, including Foreign Minister of Iran, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian have been died in a helicopter crash in East Azerbaijan, confirmed by the Iran’s official sources. The cause of crash has not yet been confirmed; both state and international news agencies are claiming, the bad weather and the mountainous topography are the major causes of the tragic episode.
Raisi, who has been in the news for his rigid policies regarding the Iran’s nuclear deal; promulgation of morality laws and the enactment of conversion against the anti-government protesters in 2022. Moreover, his unwavering support for Hamas after the escalation of Israel-Hamas war, since October 2023, and most importantly, the recent Iran’s attack on Israel under his presidency have also brought, Raisi on the limelight: the pro- Palestine had deemed him as their messiah, while for the West, Raisi is a threat for global peace and security.
The Iran- Saudi Arab engagement in March 2023, by the auspices of China and the Raisi’s recent visit to Pakistan, ensued by Sri Lanka have also made him relevant in the global politics. Considering the significant role of China in the contemporary geopolitical gridlock, Iran is overwhelmingly involved in the formation of new bloc, with China as a centre to subdue the hegemonic role of the West, particularly America.
The sudden demise of Raisi instigates a pertinent question: Is there any change in Iran’s foreign policy, as the Article 131 of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Iran says, in case of the death of the President in office, the Supreme Council is bound to elect new President, within fifty days. The Supreme leader of Iran, also deemed as its de facto ruler, Ayatuallah Khamnaie has said that there will be no change in the foreign policy.
The understanding of the recent history of Iran entails, the state’s polices change with the change in President: Hassan Rouhani tried to negotiate with the west including Iran’s nuclear policy, resulting into the materialization of the historic deal ‘The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action’ (JCPOA) in 2015. However, all those initiatives have been nullified, soon after the Raisi’s resumption of the presidential office in 2021. It seems quite evident, the tragic death of Raisi will exacerbate the global tensions, particularly, if the Iranian agencies find any hidden hands behind the helicopter’s crash.
