In a crash on Sunday, Iran’s president was killed, according to state media.
President Ebrahim Raisi and other important Iranian officials were going to an event in the east of the country. Rescue teams were in the area, but because of bad weather, they hadn’t been able to get in touch with any survivors, state media said.
If the president dies, there is a greater chance of a war between the United States and Israel, which is at war with Hamas. Iran backs Hamas. At the end of April, Iran launched its first direct attack on Israel, which made people afraid of a full-scale war in the area that could include the US, Saudi Arabia, and other countries.
Even though the violence hasn’t spread, any worsening of things could cause oil prices to rise around the world. In spite of sanctions from other countries, Iran’s oil exports have grown over the past few years.
There is no proof that anyone was involved in the crash, but it is hard for foreign reporters to work freely in Iran.
Iran has a lot of plane crashes. International sanctions often make it hard to get spare parts.
President Raisi has been in charge since 2021. In Iran’s theocratic system, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is the supreme leader, makes all the important decisions. For this reason, unless there is a major international event, policy toward the US and Israel is not likely to change if one president steps down.