LIVE UPDATES: Iranian President Raisi Dies in Helicopter Crash

The Iranian chief of staff, Mohammad Bagheri, has appointed a commission of inquiry into the death of President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash over the weekend, media reported Monday.

The cause of the helicopter crash that took the lives of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and several other officials is unclear to the United States, White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby said.

The United States has no insight into the cause of the helicopter crash that killed Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Sunday but will continue to monitor the situation, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Monday.

The farewell ceremony and funeral of the late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will be held in Mashhad on May 23, Iranian Vice President Mohsen Mansouri said on Monday.

"The bodies will be transported to the holy city of Mashhad, where a farewell ceremony and funeral will be held," Mansouri said, adding that the ceremony will be held at the mausoleum of Imam Reza in Mashhad.

Hundreds of residents of the Iranian capital of Tehran gathered Monday for a mourning rally at Valiasr Square in memory of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his entourage, who died in a helicopter crash, a Sputnik correspondent reported.

Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi was a skilled orator, often criticizing the West and emphasizing the importance of developing the BRICS and SCO platforms.

The UN Security Council members observed a minute of silence at the beginning of the session on Ukraine to mourn the death of the Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Mozambique Ambassador to the United Nations Pedro Comissario Afonso, who presides over the UN Security Council this month, said on Monday.

Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis said on Monday that he did not expect any upheavals in Iran or changes in international posture toward the country following the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.

"The reality is that Iran has a very closed and strict system, so I believe there will be no major upheavals … I believe that despite slight fluctuations in the transition period, there will be no change in either foreign policy or regional or international posture toward Iran," Gerapetritis told Greece’s Talk radio.

Gerapetritis added that Amirabdollahian as foreign minister had played an important role in the overall chain of command within Iran and had been in touch with his Greek counterpart regualrly.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is saddened by the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Monday.

On May 19, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi tragically lost his life in a helicopter crash in the Islamic Republic’s East Azerbaijan province. Sputnik has compiled a list of high-profile air crashes involving head of states, along with information on the possible involvement of Western powers in some of these catastrophes.

Polish President Lech Kaczynski tragically perished in a plane crash near the Russian city of Smolensk. A subsequent investigation conducted by Warsaw officials determined that the accident was a result of errors made by the crew and inadequate flight planning. The aircraft involved in the disaster was a Tu-154.

President of Rwanda Juvenal Habyarimana and Burundi President Cyprien Ntaryamira tragically lost their lives after their plane transporting them was shot down by a surface-to-air missile. The culprits were never identified. This event served as a catalyst for one of the most brutal chapters in recent history - the genocide of the Tutsi people, who were wrongly held responsible for the assassination of the Rwandan leader. It is estimated that nearly 1 million lives were lost in the ensuing ethnic violence. The aircraft involved in the disaster was a Dassault Falcon 50.

President of Pakistan Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq died in a plane crash along with the US Ambassador to Islamabad and the Pakistani intelligence chief who was responsible for supporting Afghan militants. The exact cause of this accident also remains a mystery, since the plane’s black box was never found. The aircraft involved in the disaster was a Lockheed C-130 Hercules.

Panama revolutionary leader General Omar Torrijos tragically died in a plane crash. Despite allegations by global public opinion, including the Soviet Union, that the United States was involved, the exact cause of the crash remains unresolved. This suspicion arose due to Torrijos having previously been successful in stripping Washington of its control over the Panama Canal, which it had held since 1903.

The aircraft involved in the disaster was a De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter.

Togolese President Gnassingbe Eyadema survived a plane crash. He claimed that the accident was actually an act of sabotage, following his decision to abandon talks with French companies over phosphate mines. He believed his survival was a result of divine intervention, and subsequently ordered the construction of a monument at the crash site.

The aircraft involved in the disaster was a Douglas C-47.

Iraqi President Abdul Salam Mohammed ʿArif al-Jumayli tragically died in a plane crash near Basra. Some investigators suggested that the crash may have been the result of sabotage by Baath sympathizers. The aircraft involved in the disaster was a de Havilland DH.104 Dove 1.

Turkish Prime Minister Adnan Menderes miraculously survived a plane crash while en route to London in order to finalize an agreement on Cyprus with the United Kingdom and Greece. The investigation into the crash was unable to determine the cause of the accident. The aircraft model involved in the disaster was a Viscount Type 793

Philippine President Ramon del Fierro Magsaysay, accompanied by several journalists, perished in a plane crash on his journey back to Manila. The sole survivor of the crash, Nestor Mata, went on to become a well-known journalist in the Philippines. The aircraft involved in the disaster was a Douglas C-47 Skytrain

In terms of the consequences of the passing of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister, “let’s not forget Hossein Ameer Abdullahian was a seasoned diplomat,” Dr Alexander Azadgan, US-based professor of International Political Economy and chief geopolitical counsel with the Serbian Center for Strategic Studies, told Sputnik.

“Many, perhaps, may not be aware of the tremendous hard work and diplomacy that Dr Ameer Abdullahian played in terms of avoiding war between Iran and Azerbaijan. It's so ironic that this helicopter crashed at the Iran-Azerbaijan border,” the professor added.

According to him, “It's fascinating, how important of a role this country [Iran] has in the grand geopolitical games. Iran is a signatory to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and it has just became a member of the BRICS”, which also includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

The Russian president talked with Mokhber by phone, sending his condolences to the Iranian people regarding the death of their president Ebrahim Raisi