Because of sanctions

Lavrov: USA partly responsible for Raisi’s crash

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov(Bild: APA/AFP/POOL/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

The Iranian authorities have not yet released any official information on the cause of the crash. However, it is a fact that the helicopter in which President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian were sitting was around 40 years old. It is not known how well the Augusta Bell 212 was maintained. However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is certain that the safety of the helicopter had been compromised by the sanctions imposed by the USA.

The sanctions imposed by the USA on Iran had worsened the safety of Iranian aviation, Lavrov said on Tuesday. "The Americans deny it, but the truth is that other countries against which the United States has imposed sanctions do not receive spare parts for American equipment, and this also applies to aviation," Lavrov said, referring to the helicopter crash. "We are talking here about deliberate harm to the citizens who use these aircraft, and if spare parts are not supplied, this is directly related to a reduction in the level of safety."

Difficulties in procuring spare parts
Iran was an important customer for Bell helicopters before the Islamic Revolution in 1979. It is unclear where the ill-fated aircraft came from. Decades of sanctions against Iran because of its nuclear program make it difficult for the country to procure spare parts or upgrade its aircraft.

The Bell 212 used by the Iranian government is only designed for visual flight. According to Iranian media reports, the helicopter crashed into a mountain peak. Visibility at the time of the crash was very poor.