Here's the last video of Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi moments before the helicopter crashed

A video showing Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi minutes before the helicopter in which he was traveling crashed, has surfaced. He can be seen sitting calmly on a seat beside a window and two other persons sitting on the opposite seat too can be seen. Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, Imam Seyyed Mohammad-Ali Al-Hashem, and other high-ranking state officials also accompanied the president in the helicopter.

Helicopter crashes in Varzeqan

The helicopter crashed minutes after this video was shot. The president was coming back after inaugurating a dam with Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev. He was flying in a US-made Bell 212 helicopter. According to State controlled news agency IRNA, the chopper crashed in Varzeqan region north of Tabriz.

Also Read: Ebrahim Raisi dead: All about the helicopter that crashed killing the Iranian president

Search operation for hours

The Iranian authorities carried on the search-and-rescue operation for hours before they could spot the debris of the helicopter. The European Union and Turkey helped Iran in the search operation. The thick fog and plummeting temperatures hampered the rescue persons, who could reach the crash site after 12 hours of continued efforts.

Five days of state mourning

Iran declared five days of state mourning for President Ebrahim Raisi. There was a muted atmosphere with no spectacular public grief that has accompanied the deaths of other senior figures in the Islamic Republic's history. Most shops remained open and the authorities made little effort to interrupt ordinary life.

No spectacular public grief

However, thousands of government employees and supporters, assembled in mosques and squares to pray for Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian.

If media reports are to be believed, opponents even posted furtive videos online of people passing out sweets to celebrate his death. Earlier, Raisi's hardline government cracked down violently to end the biggest anti-establishment demonstrations since the 1979 revolution.

FAQs

When the video was shot and what can be seen in it?
The video showing Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi for the last time, is considered to be shot minutes before the helicopter crashed. In this video, Raisi can be seen sitting calmly on a seat beside a window.

How have the Iranian people reacted to the death of their president?
Iran declared five days of state mourning for President Ebrahim Raisi. There was a muted atmosphere with no spectacular public grief that has accompanied the deaths of other senior figures in the Islamic Republic's history. Most shops remained open and the authorities made little effort to interrupt ordinary life.