"Hardliners will probably seek a candidate capable of balancing their faction following recent political tensions." 

"No significant crises are anticipated until the presidential election, which is expected to follow a similar format to previous ones."

Mohammad-Ali Abtahi, former Iranian reformist vice-president

"One of the main culprits of yesterday's tragedy is the United States, which ... embargoed the sale of aircraft and aviation parts to Iran and does not allow the people of Iran to enjoy good aviation facilities."

Mohammad Javad Zarif, former Iranian foreign minister

Former Iranian president speaks in 2024. Vahid Salemi/AP

The world's major state fomenter of antisemitic violence of the decidedly lethal variety has lost its sitting president, slated to take the place sooner than expected of the Islamic Republic's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 85 and said to be suffering from cancer. A man as wickedly nasty as they come, he earned the title Butcher of Tehran, for the death of thousands of Iranian dissenters was an integral portion of his legacy. Broadly speaking, and judging from the wild celebrations that have taken place in Iran over news of his death, he will not be missed.

But what, after all, do Iranians know? In the hallowed halls of the United Nations, the man and his theocratic-ruling colleagues have found deep respect, elevated as authorities to tutor other countries about human rights, women's rights and issues relating to weapons of war. The very country, through its Revolutionary Republican Guard Corps whose al-Quds division is responsible for training, arming and funding 'revolutionary' Islamist groups like proxies Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen, as well as Gaza's Hamas terrorists lauded in the UN.

Ebrahim Raisi did not die alone. With him in the helicopter that was several decades old and which likely hadn't undergone routine mechanical checks, were the state's foreign minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, and Iran's East Azerbaijan provincial governor, along with a senior cleric from Tabriz, a Revolutionary Guard official and three helicopter crew. In actual fact, they, none of them will be missed anywhere, not by Iranians, not by Israel whose most recent death-cult experiences are credited to the dead 'authorities' as well a direct sabre-rattling confrontation.

Iranian authorities can indirectly point to Israel as the fount of a chain of circumstances that led to their late, lamented cabinet members' demise; the Zionist-entity and its sponsor, the Great Satan's imposition of stringent sanctions linked to Iran's quest for nuclear weaponry has struck the country's finances, and American influence and power has persuaded those reliant upon its good graces to refrain from trade with the proscribed nation.

Elected in 2021 after the mercurial, threatening and leering Ahmadinejad -- who in an address to the UN spoke of his country's mission to destroy Israel as well as the oncoming appearance of the Hidden Mahdi whose return to life would presage Armageddon, when faithful Shiites would ascend to heaven to join the Prophet Mohammad in Paradise, and non-Muslims would perish ingloriously -- on a record-low turnout excluding reformists and veteran politicians on the election slate, he vowed to bring Iran closer to China and Russia, and away from Western influence.

 

The United Nations on Tuesday lowered its flag to half-staff outside of its New York City headquarters to honor Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash Monday. (UNTV)

 

Viewed as a protege of the ruling Khamenei, Iran's quest with its enriched uranium program has brought it perilously close to its goal of producing weapons-grade uranium, and ultimately the nuclear devices it envisions will hasten its re-conquest of the Middle East, over Arab, Sunni-Muslim majority nations leery of the Persian Shiite country's intentions. His hand in Hamas's October 7 savage attack in southern Israel is evident -- that has led to a greater Middle East fallout where regional violence has increased exponentially.

Shiite militias in Iraq and Syria have taken to targeting American bases in those countries, while Yemen's Houthis have interrupted and continue to threaten commercial shipping in the Red Sea, and Hezbollah in Lebanon launches daily missiles into Israel, in a restrained and deliberate scheme to draw the IDF away from Gaza as the need to respond to provocations from across Israel's northern border has become a critical diversion.

 

Widespread, violent protests broke out with the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, a young woman accused of improperly covering her head. Repercussions from the Iranian public from the majority who fear and detest the regime brought out large hordes of enraged protesters. The protests were systematically and violently disrupted, the protesters brutally beaten, imprisoned, and murdered.

Russia has found a dependable ally in the Islamic Republic which supplies the Russian military with armed drones used strategically in Ukraine in Moscow's infamous 'special military operation'. Raisi had travelled in 2023 to China to meet personally with Chinese President Xi Jinping; the three countries have formed a bond of 'understanding' and support for one another.

And in the United Nations, the decision was made to honour this man and his nation by lowering the UN flag to half-mast. And, fittingly enough, given the venue and canted purpose of the United Nations, a grave minute-of-silence in mourning for this mass murderer whose responsibility weighed on ensuring that his country was notable for its support for and inciting terrorism with an especial focus on Israel, took place at the UNGA.  No shame!

Tehran– International organizations across the world observed a minute of silence on Monday and Tuesday in honor of the tragic passing of President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian.