Iran Investigation: Weather Caused Raisi Helicopter Crash

 Iran's final investigation into the helicopter crash that resulted in the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in May has concluded that adverse weather was the primary cause, according to the investigative body announced on Sunday.

The helicopter, carrying 63-year-old Raisi and his entourage, crashed on a fog-covered mountainside in northern Iran, leading to the deaths of the president and seven others. This tragedy subsequently triggered snap elections.

The investigation report, released by the special board tasked with examining the accident, attributed the crash to the "complex climatic and atmospheric conditions" prevalent in the region during spring, as reported by state broadcaster IRIB. It noted that a "sudden appearance of dense and rising fog" contributed to the helicopter's collision with the mountain.

In May, the Iranian army also confirmed that there was no evidence of criminal activity related to the crash, which also claimed the life of Raisi's foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

Earlier in August, Fars news agency had suggested that the crash was caused by both adverse weather conditions and the helicopter's failure to ascend properly with two additional passengers, which allegedly violated security protocols.

However, the Iranian armed forces swiftly refuted this claim, stating that the assertion by Fars news regarding the presence of two extra passengers was "completely false."