Iran’s President Killed In Helicopter Crash: Who Was Ebrahim Raisi?
A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi crashed on Sunday. After an hours-long search through the foggy mountainous region of Iran’s northwest, the president as well as the country’s foreign minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, and others were found dead on Monday.
Here Is What We Know About President Raisi
President Raisi, who died aged 63, had quite the journey in becoming president of Iran. Seven years ago, he failed to win the 2017 presidential election and instead became the head of the judicial branch of the Islamic Republic.
Then came 2021 when he became president. During his time as president, he oversaw a strategy to expand the regional influence of his country. He backed militant proxies across the Middle East and expedited the country’s nuclear program. He also restored diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia.
During his presidency, Iran also went through many anti-government protests, especially after the death of Mahsa Amini while she was in police custody.
Life Prior To Presidency
Born in 1960 in the eastern city of Mashhad, he was raised by a religious family. Following the overthrow of the monarchy in 1979, he worked as a religious scholar in Iran’s theocratic government. At that time, he was also a protégé of Ayatollah Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran.
Over the years, Raisi managed to climb the ranks of the judiciary as he served as a prosecutor in several cities. He eventually got named Iran’s top judge. Beyond the rose-colored lenses of his work, there are suspicions that he was part of a small committee responsible for the execution of political dissidents in 1988.
This is merely a glimpse into the life of the Iranian president, showcasing the biggest obstacles he faced during his presidency as well as his biggest accomplishments.
