The deaths of the president and other officials in a helicopter crash are not likely to lead to major policy changes.
The deaths of Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian in a helicopter crash on Sunday have now been confirmed by Iranian authorities.
The sudden demise of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash has ignited speculation and raised critical questions about the future trajectory of US-Iran relations. This event occurs against a backdrop of heightened tensions between Iran, the US, and its regional ally, Israel, further complicating an already delicate diplomatic landscape. Raisi’s presidency was marked by a steadfast commitment to Iran’s hardline policies, particularly in the face of economic adversity exacerbated by stringent US sanctions. His close ties to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei positioned him as a key figure in Iran’s power structure, wielding considerable influence over the country’s domestic and foreign affairs.
On May 14, 2024, at least 12 terrorists and one Army soldier were killed while five other Security Forces (SF) personnel sustained injuries when terrorists from Afghanistan in their attempt to infiltrate inside Pakistan attacked Pakistani checkpoints in the Teri Mangal area, along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, in the Kurram District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The attack, launched with heavy weapons, targeted security installations within a 10 kilometres radius.
This is part two of a two-part series that explores developments autocratic Arab rulers and US policymakers ignore at their peril. This two-part series explores developments autocratic Arab rulers and US policymakers ignore at their peril. This two-part series explores developments autocratic Arab rulers and US policymakers ignore at their peril. The series is based on an essay published in Horizons. Part 1 looked at the region as a whole as well as Hamas’ standing in Gaza eight months into the war. Part 2 focuses on the war’s potential fallout in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.
This tragedy brought to light some serious questions that should be addressed by the Iranian authorities throughout the course of the investigation or at least by their media surrogates during upcoming press appearances.
Sunday’s helicopter crash that claimed the lives of the Iranian President, Foreign Minister, two other VIPs, and the crew has been the subject of conspiracy theories since it happened, with some even implying that Azerbaijan was complicit in this incident, though that line of thought was discredited here. Regardless of whatever the newly launched investigation determines was the cause, there are still five uncomfortable questions to be asked of Iran, which are as follows:
The chief prosecutor of the world’s top war crimes court sought arrest warrants Monday for leaders of Israel and Hamas, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over actions taken during their seven-month war.
Ukrainian lands are located at the gates of Europe and since ancient times foes have been threatening its inhabitants, not all but most of the times from the East. However, the very first statehood was brought to Kyiv from the North, by means of rivers and Vikings, and over the 10th and 11th centuries it was the largest and the most powerful state in Europe.
From May 13 to 14, Israel celebrated the 76th anniversary of its independence. Today, on May 15, Palestinians remember the Nakba.
The Nakba, which means “catastrophe” in Arabic, refers to the mass displacement of Palestinians that occurred during the creation of the state of Israel from 1947 to 1949.
Anti-migration policies in Libya, Tunisia, and Niger have had dire consequences, as highlighted by the more than 25,000 migrant deaths in the Mediterranean since 2014, a stagerringly high figure that does not fully capture the extent of the tragedy.
Throughout history, fringe religious Zionist parties have had limited success in achieving the kind of electoral victories that would allow them an actual share in the country’s political decision-making.
The impressive number of 17 seats won by Israel’s extremist religious party, Shas, in the 1999 elections, was a watershed moment in the history of these parties, whose ideological roots go back to Avraham Itzhak Kook and his son Zvi Yehuda Hacohen.