iNDICA News Bureau-
India expressed deep concern and shock following reports of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s death in a helicopter crash on Sunday, May 19.
“Deeply concerned by reports regarding President Raisi’s helicopter flight today. We stand in solidarity with the Iranian people in this hour of distress, and pray for well being of the President and his entourage,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Sunday on his X handle @narendramodi.
India maintains friendly relations with Iran and plays a crucial role in the divided Islamic world. New Delhi has close ties with both Israel and Iran, especially as the Middle East crisis persists. Recently, the two countries signed a joint venture to develop and operate the Chabahar port in Iran. This port holds strategic significance for India, especially in light of China’s development of the Gwadar deep-water port in Pakistan under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) plan. The China Overseas Port Holding Company (COPHC) has leased the Gwadar port from the Pakistan government for 40 years to facilitate its development and expansion.
India has faced potential risks of sanctions related to companies working on the Chabahar port project. S. Jaishankar, India’s Minister for External Affairs, emphasized on May 15 that the Chabahar port serves the region’s interests. Jaishankar said that the U.S. administration previously recognized the port’s importance, particularly during the period when U.S. troops were stationed in war-torn Afghanistan. The agreement for the Chabahar port was signed on May 13, just six days before President Raisi’s tragic demise in the helicopter crash.
Iranian state TV confirmed that no one survived the accident. Besides President Raisi, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, the Governor of East Azerbaijan, and the Imam of Tabriz were also on board during the ill-fated flight. The crash occurred in the remote, mountainous East Azerbaijan Province.
Interestingly, U.S. President Joe Biden cut short his vacation and returned to the White House following news of the helicopter crash. While it is confirmed that President Raisi was traveling in an old Bell 212 helicopter acquired before the 1979 Iran Revolution, U.S. officials have not ruled out the possibility of assassination. CNN reported that the helicopter may have been in operation since the late 1960s.
Due to U.S. sanctions, Iran faces challenges in procuring new helicopters or obtaining spare parts for its aging pre-revolution era fleet. The country currently relies on locally produced spare parts or purchases from the open market abroad.
