TEHRAN – Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi, who was missing in a heli-crash near Azerbaijan border, is reportedly killed along with country’s foreign minister and other senior officials.
The deceased President was known for his strong personality, academic background, conservative approach and deep roots in judiciary. A principlist politician, and seasoned jurist was touted to be likely successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – the country’s supreme leader.
Raisi, 63, first contested for president in 2017 but remained unsuccessful. He however made it to the highest office in 2021.
If you look at his early life, Raisi started studying at Qom religious seminary at 15 and was educated by revered Muslim scholars. His father passed away when Raisi was just five years old. After intermediate education, he claimed to have received a Phd degree in private law.
He entered politics by serving as a prosecutor in various cities before becoming deputy prosecutor in Iranian capital. Raisi married Jamileh Alamolhoda, and have two daughters.
Iranian President was part of a committee that oversaw executions of political prisoners. He became Tehran’s prosecutor in 1989 after the death of Iran’s first Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
He became famous through the ranks under Ayatollah Khamenei, and become chairman of the Astan Quds Razavi, the largest religious endowment in Mashhad.
Raisi was known to have strong credentials in religious ties with both late Khomeini and Khamenei, who appointed him to several senior positions. He also holds good ties with government branches, millitary, legislative bodies, and the influential members of society.
Raisi led Tehran during a period of public discontent over declining living standards, partly due to sanctions and critics accusing the government of prioritizing defense over domestic issues.
Two years back, he was among government leaders who triggered public anger over death of Mahsa Amini in custody for allegedly not complying with hijab rules, sparking months of protests. The protests ended in mid-2023 after about 500 people were killed by security forces, according to human rights organizations, and seven people were executed for their roles in the unrest.
In recent times, Raisi led his country through a standoff with Tel Aviv and US over assault on Gaza. Iranian consular building in Damascus was attacked, killing seven people, including a top commander.
In retaliation, Iran launched a significant attack on April 15 involving missiles and drones, which was mostly intercepted by Israel. The rivalry between Tehran and Israel extends to Syria, where Israel has conducted multiple attacks targeting Iranian military capabilities.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/20-May-2024/iranian-president-raisi-fm-amirabdollahian-killed-in-plane-crash-news-agency
