Looking for the sabotage traces: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's fatal helicopter crash investigation

We already know the report from the General Staff of the Ground Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army following the helicopter crash with President Ebrahim Raisi on board. Military investigators did not find any evidence confirming sabotage or an explosion. Earlier, it was also reported that there were no signs of gunfire or similar traces on the wreck.

Recall that the helicopter crash occurred in Iran on May 19 at 11:30 AM ET. Onboard were President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and two military commanders. They were all returning from Azerbaijan, where a dam on the Aras River was opened.

The investigators' report indicates that after examining the wreck and helicopter parts at the crash site, an explosion during the flight was excluded. Additionally, there was no explosion before the helicopter hit the mountainside.

The helicopter's maintenance documentation and the work carried out on the machine were also analyzed. No traces of factors that could have contributed to the crash were found, and according to the investigators, the helicopter was not overloaded either.

The Iranian General Staff issued the first statement five days after the crash. At that time, it was already reported that there were no signs of gunfire or similar traces on the wreck.

Investigators clarifying the crash excluded interruptions in the communication system. Contact on designated frequencies was lost only 69 seconds before the crash. The possibility of a cyber-attack on the helicopter was also excluded.

The machine crashed into the mountainside and caught fire. Weather conditions, including rain and thick fog, hampered the search.

Ebrahim Raisi was 63 years old. He has been the President of Iran since 2021. He was considered a man with ultra-conservative views. He expressed support for Russia in the war with Ukraine, and his country supplied military drones to Putin.

During his term, tensions with Israel increased. In 2022, when protests broke out after the death of young Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in police custody, demonstrators were repressed, and there were executions.