Investigation underway

Raisi crash: Iran asked arch-enemy USA for help

The emergency services had difficulties finding the crashed helicopter in bad weather and mountainous terrain.

(Bild: APA/AP)

The exact circumstances of the fatal crash of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi are still far from clear, but more and more details are coming to light. Apparently, even the arch-enemy USA was asked for help after the accident.

This was stated by US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller in Washington on Monday. "We were asked by the Iranian government for assistance," he said, but remained vague about what exactly the request for help was - speculation suggests that it could have been for assistance in locating the helicopter or recovering the victims.

Help was not provided after all
"We said we were ready to help - something we would do for any government in a situation like this," Miller continued. However, "mainly for logistical reasons", no help was actually provided by the United States, explained the spokesperson, who was also extremely vague about the communication between the two countries. 

The request is surprising in that there have been no diplomatic relations with the USA since the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1997.

The emergency services had difficulties finding the crashed helicopter in bad weather and mountainous terrain.

(Bild: APA/AP)

"A number of things could" be the cause of the crash
So far, only US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has been more specific about the case. Everything points to the fact that the crash of Raisi's helicopter was an accident. A number of things could be responsible - mechanical failure, pilot error, whatever", he said.

In any case, the USA had "nothing to do with it. That is quite simply a fact," he said, countering various theories that the USA could have had something to do with it. In the past, Iranian government representatives had repeatedly blamed Israel or the USA for security incidents in Iran.

USA: Iran itself responsible for "decision"
Former Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Jawad Sarif, for example, made a connection on Monday between the helicopter crash and US sanctions that prohibit the sale of spare parts for the aviation industry - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also came to the same conclusion.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Miller commented on Sarif's remarks, saying that ultimately the Iranian government itself was "responsible for the decision to fly a 45-year-old helicopter in bad weather conditions". However, speculation as to whether bad weather, a technical defect or even an act of sabotage by arch-enemy Israel could have been responsible for the incident continues.

What really caused the crash?
According to international observers, however, a technical defect is also considered more likely as the president's Bell 212 helicopter was over 40 years old - especially as two other helicopters in the delegation had reached their destination safely. 

In any case, Iran's air force is considered to be very outdated and its modernization is making little progress in the face of tough international sanctions. Many of the planes and helicopters date back to the time before the Islamic Revolution, when the country had close relations with the USA.