US Denies Fault as Iran Mourns President Lost to Helicopter Disaster

Amidst the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and others in a helicopter crash, Iran pointed the finger at the US for the accident. However, the US hit back, stating, “Iran decided to fly an aged helicopter in bad weather.”

According to the Iranian state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), on the 20th, an English article paying tribute to President Raisi reported, “President Raisi was martyred in a helicopter crash caused by a technical failure while returning from Hoda Aparin Dam to Tabriz Oil Refinery on Sunday (19th).”

The IRNA, which had previously reported that President Raisi was aboard a US-made Bell 212 helicopter at the time of the accident, has explicitly stated that the crash was due to a technical failure. Furthermore, Iran argued that the US, which imposed sanctions on their country, is responsible for the accident as the international sanctions have made it difficult for them to procure helicopter parts.

According to IRNA, the former Iranian Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, suggested that one of the reasons for the tragic accident was the actions of the US He noted that US sanctions on sales to Iran’s aviation industry had contributed to the incident that led to the death of the president and his entourage. “This will be listed on the blocklist of US crimes against the Iranian people,” he added.

In response, a Spokesperson for the United States Department of State, Matthew Miller, refuted, “It’s the Iranian Government that is responsible for the decision to fly a 45-year-old helicopter in what was described as poor weather conditions, not any other actor.” Similarly, John Kirby, the White House’s National Security Communications Advisor, dismissed Iran’s claim as “ridiculous” during an online briefing.

According to aviation data company Cirium, the average age of Iran’s registered Bell 212 helicopters is 35 years, with 15 still in service or storage. While it’s unclear whether Iran has been using the helicopters for more than 40 years, as Miller says, most are indeed aged.