Change will come eventually from the inside in #Iran but it's unlikely that Ebrahim Raisi's death will be the catalyst for it, says Henri Barkey, professor of International Relations at Lehigh University. He spoke to France24's Tom Burges Watston. #Raisi#Khamenei
A helicopter carrying President #EbrahimRaisi of #Iran & his foreign minister crashed on Sunday in the country’s mountainous northwest, acc/to state media, deepening the turmoil that has gripped the nation on both the international & domestic fronts in recent months.
#Raisi, 63, was traveling from Iran’s border w/ Azerbaijan to inaugurate a joint dam project.
Even well into the night, state media had not yet reported on casualties, or on the condition of the president or anyone else aboard. The cause of the crash was also unknown.
“There will be no disruption in the country’s operation,” Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali #Khamenei said in an address on state TV. “Senior officials are doing their work & I have advised them on the necessary points & all of the country’s operation will carry on smoothly & orderly.”
#Raisi, a conservative who violently crushed dissent is widely viewed as a possible successor to the SupremeLeader. The uncertainty over his fate comes during a particularly tumultuous period for #Iran.
Its long shadow war w/ #Israel burst into the open after #Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, setting off the war in #Gaza & a cascade of strikes & counterstrikes across the region.
#Raisi is a hard-line religious cleric who came of age during the #Islamic revolution. Under #Iran’s #theocracy, Raisi, as president, is the 2nd most powerful individual in Iran’s #political structure after… #Khamenei.
After becoming president in 2021, Raisi consolidated power & marginalized reformists who wanted to defuse tensions w/the #West. He repeatedly said he pursued a policy of “strong diplomacy,” forging closer #economic & #security ties w/ #Russia & #China.
…#Raisi oversaw a sweeping & deadly crackdown on domestic #protesters, many of them #women & young people, who took to the streets against the country’s ruling clerics. #Rights groups said hundreds of protesters were killed by Iran’s security forces.
Raisi has been viewed as one of the front-runners to succeed #Khamenei as supreme leader. One of his main rivals for that role is #Khamene’s son.
Despite the crash, some analysts said they did not expect a major change in #Iran’s agenda abroad.
Seit 35 Jahren ist Khamenei oberster Führer des Iran. Bislang kommt an ihm im Land niemand vorbei. Neben dem eskalierenden Konflikt mit Israel steht der 85-Jährige auch vor dem Machtkampf um seine Nachfolge. Von Uwe Lueb.
Analyse zum Iran: Das Dilemma des Ayatollah Khamenei
Irans Oberstem Führer Ayatollah Khamenei geht es vor allem um eines: die Existenz der im Land unpopulären Islamischen Republik. Der Angriff auf Israel könnte sein Lebenswerk gefährden. Eine Analyse von Ulrich Pick.
#Iran is about to attack #Israel, starting a massive war between two major military powers.
This is happening only because #Putin, #Netanyahu, #Trump, #Khamenei, and #Hamas are all closely allied with each other, and they're all desperate to get Trump reelected. And it's going to work -- our incompetent media will push the lie that "this war is Biden's fault."
We must find some way to break this chain of events, or we will lose our democracy forever.
Western diplomats have mounted pressure on #China to prevent #Iran from escalating tensions in the Middle East with a direct retaliatory strike against #Israel.
Tensions spiked at the start of this month when seven Iranian military advisors were killed in a strike on Iran’s consulate in #Damascus, Syria. Israel has not declared responsibility.
On Wednesday, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali #Khamenei said Israel “should be punished and will be punished” for the Damascus killings.
Ok let's talk about what "#Iranian sleeper cells" in the US look like.
This July 2022 video shows 100s of children singing an ode to Qassem #Soleimani & Iran's Supreme Leader #Khamenei with lyrics "I will be your soldier, I will be your martyr."
#Iran's #Khamenei Meets Nigerian Ayatollah Zakzaky. Zakzaky leads the Islamic Movement in #Nigeria, a movement inspired by the Iranian Revolution that rejects Nigerian government authority @iran