Ebrahim Raisi, the eighth president of Iran, has been martyred after a helicopter carrying him and his entourage crashed in Varzaqan region in East Azarbaijan Province, northwest of the country.

Raisi’s helicopter, along with two more copters, was en route to Tabriz City on Sunday after he inaugurated Qiz Qalasi Dam at the border with the Azerbaijan Republic earlier in the day.

Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, East Azarbaijan Province’s Governor Malek Rahmati, and Mehdi Mousavi, the head of Raisi’s guard team were on board the crashed aircraft as well. Mohammad Ali Al-e-Hashem, the Supreme Leader’s representative in the province also accompanied them.

Local officials present at the crash site have confirmed the martyrdom of Raisi and his accompanying team.

The Iranian government will soon release an official statement.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon