Ebrahim Raisi, Iran's President, Dies in Helicopter Crash at 63

Former Hardline Prosecutor Was Seen as a Possible Successor to Ayatollah Khamenei

Ebrahim Raisi, Iran's hardline Shiite cleric and president, died in a helicopter crash on Monday morning, according to state media.

Raisi, 63, had been widely seen as a protégé and trusted confidant of Iran's supreme leader, 85-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He was elected president in 2021 after a campaign that focused on conservative values and opposition to Western influence.

During his presidency, Raisi oversaw a crackdown on dissent and political opposition. He was also a key figure in Iran's nuclear program and its negotiations with the United States and other world powers.

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