Iran’s final investigation into the May helicopter crash that resulted in the death of President Ebrahim Raisi and seven others concluded that the crash was caused by adverse weather conditions. According to the special board investigating the incident, the main factor was the “complex climatic and atmospheric conditions” in the mountainous region during spring. The report highlighted that the sudden emergence of dense fog led to the helicopter’s collision with the mountainside.
In May, the Iranian army also confirmed that no evidence of criminal activity was found in the crash, which also claimed the life of Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. A previous report in August suggested that the helicopter’s inability to ascend due to two extra passengers may have contributed to the crash, but this claim was swiftly denied by the Iranian armed forces.