Iran’s former foreign minister and top diplomat Javad Zarif suggests that US sanctions imposed on Iran have led to the helicopter accident as the country cannot purchase new ones. He further says that Iran has to rely on old helicopters because the US-sanction embargoed the sale of aircraft or avian parts to Iran.
Iran’s Transport Authority chief suggests that the signal system of the Vell 212 helicopter, which was carrying Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister did not on its signal system, or the aircraft did not have such a system.
Some Iranian experts said that the ill-fated Bell 212 helicopter crashed with the Iranian President was nearly 40-50 years old.
Iran’s military chief of staff Mohammad Bagheri has ordered to appoint a high-ranking team to do an investigation into the cause of the helicopter crash ISNA news agency said.
Last evening Iran announced their leader’s funeral arrangements and it said the final rites to President Raisi and the foreign minister Ahamadabdullah will take place Tuesday at 9:30 am local time (06:00 GMT) in Tabriz.
The Iranian news agency Tasnim is reporting that a ceremony is planned in the northwestern city of Tabriz in the morning, followed by a ceremony in the city of Qom, 100km (62 miles) southwest of Tehran. Raisi’s body will later be taken to Tehran and Raisi will be buried in his hometown of Mashhad in northeast Iran.
AlJazeera reported yesterday that they are expecting the bodies to be transferred to the city of Mashhad for two reasons. First, Mashhad was the hometown of President Raisi. Secondly, Mashhad is the most important religious center of Iran.
Sri Lanka yesterday declared today (21) as a national mourning day in respect of the late President Raisi. Flags at all government institutions such as ministries, and departments will fly the National flag at half-mast today, Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils, and Local Government Ministry Secretary Pradeep Yasaratne said.
