Weather, not sabotage: Iran probe clears foul play in Ebrahim Raisi’s helicopter crash

An official investigation has determined that the May helicopter crash, which resulted in the deaths of Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi and seven other individuals, was due to challenging climatic and atmospheric conditions. The Supreme Board of General Staff of the Armed Forces released a final report attributing the crash to the complex climatic conditions prevalent in the region during spring and a sudden dense fog that led the helicopter to collide with a mountain. The report found no signs of sabotage in the helicopter’s parts and systems.

The conclusion aligns with the army's previous statement in May, which also found no evidence of criminal activity. According to the report, the "sudden appearance of a thick mass of dense fog rising upwards" played a crucial role in the crash.

"The main reason of the helicopter crash was complicated weather conditions in the region," the final report concluded, according to Iran's state TV.


A thick mass of fog caused the helicopter that was carrying Raisi and his companions to crash into the mountain, the report issued by a high committee charged by Iran's military with investigating the incident said.