Iran President Raisi’s death: ‘It wasn’t us,’ says Israel, following tragic helicopter crash

An Israeli official on Monday said that Israel had no role in the helicopter crash that resulted in the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, along with several members of his team.“It wasn’t us,” news agency Reuters quoted the official as saying, who requested anonymity.
While condolence messages have been pouring in for Raisi from across the world, including from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as of 13:00 IST, Israel hadn’t issued a formal statement acknowledging the incident.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, a staunch supporter of the country’s supreme leader, who played a key role in the mass executions of thousands in 1988 and later led Iran during its uranium enrichment efforts to near weapons-grade levels and a significant drone-and-missile attack on Israel, has passed away at the age of 63.

Raisi’s unexpected demise, alongside Iran’s foreign minister and other officials, occurred in a helicopter crash in northwestern Iran on Sunday. This event comes at a time when Iran is grappling with internal dissent and its global relations.

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Iran-Israel conflict

As supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has the final say on foreign policy. But Raisi presided over a state that continued down the path of confrontation toward its adversaries, notably the U.S. and Israel.

Since the war in Gaza began on Oct. 7, 2023, Iran under Khamenei and Raisi has maintained a delicate balance between enabling its regional proxies to counter Israel and the United States while avoiding a direct confrontation with both countries, who are conventionally superior foes.

This balance was momentarily disrupted when the Islamic Republic directly attacked Israel with drones and missiles for the first time in history in April in retaliation for a strike on Iran’s consulate in Damascus.

Israel, aided by the U.S., Britain, Jordan, and other allies, managed to intercept almost all incoming projectiles. In retaliation, Israel reportedly conducted a strike on an air defense radar system in the Iranian city of Isfahan. The strike resulted in no casualties but clearly conveyed a message.

The sides have waged a shadow war of covert operations and cyberattacks for years, but the exchange of fire in April was their first direct military confrontation.

Raisi’s legacy

Initially a cleric, Raisi’s demeanor often resembled that of a preacher rather than a statesman, as evidenced by his gestures such as kissing the Quran before the United Nations.

After being defeated by the comparatively moderate Hassan Rouhani in the 2017 presidential election, Raisi eventually ascended to power four years later in an election orchestrated by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to eliminate significant opposition candidates.

His rise followed the collapse of Rouhani’s landmark nuclear agreement with global powers, triggered by former President Donald Trump‘s unilateral withdrawal from the accord. This action initiated a period of heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington.