Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has died at the age of 63 following a helicopter crash, CNN has confirmed, citing reports from Iranian news outlets.
The tragic incident also claimed the lives of Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and seven others.
Earlier GOVIMA reports indicated that Raisi’s helicopter experienced a hard landing while he was visiting a northern region of Iran. At the time, his condition was unknown.
The news of Raisi’s death comes at a particularly tense time in the Middle East, with ongoing conflict in Gaza. In response to the tragedy, the Iranian government convened an urgent meeting on Monday, according to the Iranian state news agency, IRNA.