Iran's President Disappears After Helicopter Crash

Ebrahim Raisi, who was elected in 2021, was on a tour of the country's East Azerbaijan region when the helicopter he was in went down.

There has been no word from Raisi or any of the other passengers on the helicopter since it went down. The cause of the crash is also unknown.

Raisi is a hardline religious cleric who has been accused of human rights abuses in the past, according to The New York Times. He is also a close ally of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

If Raisi is unable to continue serving as president, Khamenei will likely appoint a new one. It is unclear who would be appointed or what their policies would be.

The disappearance of Raisi is a major development in Iranian politics. It could lead to instability in the country and could also have implications for the wider region.