The Iranian military released its first report on Thursday of the deadly helicopter crash that killed President Ebrahim Raisi, declaring that the incident was not the result of foul play.
What happened: On Sunday, an American Bell 212 helicopter carrying Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and other officials crashed in a mountainous area of northwest Iran, killing all eight people on board. The group had been on its way back from a visit to the Azerbaijani border. Early Iranian reports indicated there were foggy conditions in the area and that it took rescuers several hours to find the wreckage. The helicopter was several decades old, according to reports in international media.
The Iranian Armed Forces’ General Staff released its first report on the crash on Thursday after an investigative team went to the crash area on Monday. The report noted the following, according to the official Islamic Republic News Agency:
The investigation may not be finished, however. The agency noted that the public would be informed of “any follow-up findings in due course,” citing the report.
Why it matters: The........