TEHRAN: Former Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif today blamed US sanctions for the helicopter crash that claimed the life of President Dr Seyed Ebrahim Raisi.
The President was flying in Bell 212 helicopter. Manufactured by Bell Textron, an American aerospace manufacturer in Texas, Bell 212 is twin-engined copter and is used often to ferry VVIPs.
Zarif said, “One of the causes of this heartbreaking incident (the death of President Raisi) is the US, which by sanctioning the sale of the aviation industry to Iran caused the martyrdom of the President….”
Sources in strategic circles questioned the wisdom of Iran using a US copter amid sanctions as this would mean genuine spares would not be available. The Iranians had the option of flying in a Russian helicopter.