Russia offers help probing crash that killed Iran’s president

The secretary of Russia’s Security Council on Tuesday said that Russian authorities are willing to help investigate the helicopter crash that killed top Iranian leaders. Iranian and Russian state-run media groups reported on the remarks by Secretary Sergei Shoigu. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and several other key government officials also died in the incident. None of the passengers survived the crash in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province.

How far has the investigation already gotten? Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday ordered several aircraft and dozens of personnel to the crash scene to assist Iranian emergency services, according to Iranian state media reports. The helicopter had crashed near Iran’s border with Azerbaijan, which is located between the two other countries. Later on Monday, Iranian authorities reportedly identified all the bodies of the passengers.

How is Iran responding to the crash? The country has been participating in five days of mourning per the orders of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. President Raisi’s funeral will take place on Wednesday, according to state media. Iranian Vice President Mohamed Mokhber is serving temporarily as president, and the country plans to hold elections within 50 days, state media reports.

Dig deeper: Read A.S. Ibrahim’s column in WORLD Opinions about the death of Raisi.