On Monday, the Biden Administration issued an official statement giving its “condolences” to the nation of Iran following the sudden death of its president and foreign minister in a helicopter crash.
As reported by the Daily Caller, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller declared that “the United States expresses its official condolences for the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian, and other members of their delegation in a helicopter crash in northwest Iran.”
“As Iran selects a new president, we reaffirm our support for the Iranian people and their struggle for human rights and fundamental freedoms,” Miller continued. “We regret any loss of life. We don’t want to see anyone die in a helicopter crash.”
Raisi, who was first elected president in 2021, had earned the nickname “The Butcher of Tehran” due to his work as a prosecutor for the regime since 1988. In that capacity, he oversaw a “death commission” that ordered the execution of thousands of political prisoners. He defended his actions as “one of the proud achievements” of his life.
Similar human rights abuses occurred under his presidency, including further executions, sudden arrests, kidnapping and torture, and suppression of political and religious freedoms. The State Department’s own “Reports on Human Rights Practices” in 2023 admitted that Raisi was involved in the cover-up of government abuses as president.
For years, Iran has been the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism, often waging war on Israel and other American allies in the Middle East through proxy groups. In April, Iran launched the first-ever direct attack on Israeli soil by firing hundreds of missiles, most of which were intercepted by Israel’s “Iron Dome” defense system.
Following Raisi’s death, First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber assumed the role of Acting President.
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