INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
(Reuters) - Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister were killed in a helicopter crash in mountainous terrain and icy
carrying Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian was completely burned in the crash on Sunday.State TV reported that images from
the site showed the aircraft slammed into a mountain peak, although there was no official word on the cause of the crash.State news agency
IRNA said Raisi was flying in a U.S.-made Bell 212 helicopter.Raisi, 63, was elected president in 2021, and since taking office has ordered
a tightening of morality laws, overseen a bloody crackdown on anti-government protests and pushed hard in nuclear talks with world
programme, had earlier sought to reassure Iranians, saying there would be no disruption to state affairs.PRAYERS, SEARCHESRescue teams
state TV.Earlier, the national broadcaster had stopped all regular programming to show prayers being held for Raisi across the country.In
the early hours of Monday, it showed a rescue team, wearing bright jackets and head torches, huddled around a GPS device as they searched a
pitch-black mountainside on foot in a blizzard.Several countries expressed concern and offered assistance in any rescue.The White House said
President Joe Biden had been briefed on reports about the crash
China said it was deeply concerned
The European Union offered emergency satellite mapping technology.HARDLINER, POSSIBLE SUCCESSOR TO KHAMENEIThe crash comes at a time of
growing dissent within Iran over an array of political, social and economic crises
since 1989, who holds decision-making power on all major policies.For years many have seen Raisi as a strong contender to succeed Khamenei,
of hardliners, after eight years when the presidency had been held by pragmatist Hassan Rouhani and a nuclear deal negotiated with powers
rescue.Source: Reuters--Agencies
