From this evening’s RT account:
21:26 GMT
On the orders of Russian President Vladimir Putin, two advanced aircraft, helicopters and 50 professional mountain rescuers will leave for Tabriz in an hour to help search for Raisi’s helicopter, Tasnim reports.

Posted by: PassionateProgressiv | May 19 2024 22:19 utc | 103

AKINCI01
At flight radar is said to be a Turkish search drone. Unless guiding rescue efforts it looks like searching a 30×10 km long corridor, i.e. still searching and location unknown.
If official flight had landed somehow, some form of proper contact would normally have been made already.

Posted by: Ornot | May 19 2024 22:29 utc | 105

Just when you thought that Israel, and her allies couldn’t go any lower.
“Israeli army airdrops photos of children with warning to run to IDF in psych warfare.”
“The Israeli military has begun airdropping leaflets with the faces, names and security numbers of Palestinians, including children, claiming they have been exposed as collaborators with Israel and listing a number to call to ‘save yourself’, in a naked attempt to sow suspicion and division among the Palestinians of Gaza, who refuse to allow their spirits to be broken by Israel’s genocide and endless war crimes. At least one child pictured is a toddler of two or at most three years old.
“The disgusting tactic exposes the desperation of an occupying, apartheid state whose own commentators and media are voicing opinions that Israel has lost the so-called ‘war on Hamas’ in which Israel has murdered as many as 100,000 innocent Palestinians and wounded around twice as many.
“Leaflets showing adults have also been dropped:……
https://skwawkbox.org/2024/05/19/israeli-army-airdrops-photos-of-children-with-warning-to-run-to-idf/

Posted by: bevin | May 19 2024 22:44 utc | 107

If the Iranian president has been removed (somehow) Israel and it’s satraps better be prepared for a hardliner to take ove …
Nukes on the table? More aggressive support for Hezbollah, Ansarallah and Hamas?
Better the devil you know …

Posted by: Arch Bungle | May 19 2024 22:45 utc | 109

I know how I read this, if true of course:

Putin met with the Iranian Ambassador to the Russian Federation on the evening of May 19. Belousov, Gerasimov, Kurenkov, Levitin and Shoigu took part in it. IRNA reports this.
“>https://t.me/llordofwar/351604

Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | May 19 2024 22:51 utc | 111

Posted by: Jane | May 19 2024 21:58 utc | 97

Do splutter away.
It’s entertaining!

Is that what your goal is, Jane: Entertainment?
Since you seem to refrain from responding to pertinent questions, like, What are your metrics for success in the Max Blumenthal-led plan to “pressure Biden,” one is forced to conclude you haven’t a clue.
If you did; rather, if you gave some thought to what you are being led into and by whom, you might want to make yourself aware that the Democrats appear to have set a June date for Biden to appear in a Debate, in order to discern any “signs of life,” in the circumstance that young people, Blacks, Muslims, suburban women are abandoning Dems in droves. Joe Biden is not a power center. He can and will change nothing.
You’d be better off protesting, or conducting Education Seminars – sit-ins at evangelical churches.
Print up some of my “cynical” material about firebombing and lies by which their grandfathers and grandfathers were forced to war; the war crimes they were coerced to commit; and the gross injustice Germans have endured ever since. It might strike a chord — you never know.
As for Blumenthal — he’s a grand-stander. Difficult to trust what Max spouts. The other day he said to Judge Napolitano:

“latest uh politically motivated investigations by the house uh Republicans uh in order to tamp down the exercise of free speech on college campuses well this is this is a– we are witnessing a return to the house UnAmerican Affairs committee Trials of the McCarthy era in which people not only had their lives
destroyed for simply having the wrong political views but were actually killed: Julius and Ethel Rosenberg and Sacco and Vanzetti American dissidents were given the death penalty …”

The McCarthy hearings began in 1954.
Sacco and Vanzetti were tried in 1920-1921 for a robbery, (wrongly) convicted and executed. They were anarchists, but their execution was more likely attributed to being members of a hated immigrant ethnic group. Blumenthal should consult a calendar before he tries to fatten a narrative.
In March 1951, (i.e. 3 years pre-McCarthy) Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were tried on federal espionage charges in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. They were convicted of passing atomic secrets to Russians and executed. The only apparent linkage of the Rosenberg case to McCarthy hearings is that lawyers involved in the Rosenberg case later became part of the McCarthy hearings. While the Rosenbergs may have had “dissident” political opinions, that was not the basis of the charges against them nor of their execution. Blumenthal is blowing smoke.
Jane, you make me think of something Carol Tavris wrote in Anger: The Misunderstood Emotion, something about “marching off to war without knowing what the battle is all about.”

Posted by: ChasMark | May 19 2024 22:54 utc | 113

CM 113
Tut-tut-tut.
Now it’s on to misogynistic armchair psychologizing.
What will this graybeard come up with next?

Posted by: Jane | May 19 2024 23:05 utc | 115

Why would a “source close to” the Iranian presidential administration contact some pendejo journalist at a has-been USA magazine that no one reads anymore? “Source close to” is the a dead give away of propaganda bullshit. Again, jumping the gun is part of the provocation, it’s the deep state pulling wide open the trench coat giving the public a quick flash of its throbbing member and running away gloating.

Iranian leader Ebrahim Raisi has died, said columnist for the American publication Atlantic Arash Azizi.
The statement was made with reference to a source close to the Raisi administration.
“A source close to the Iranian presidential administration told me that Raisi’s death has been confirmed” the columnist wrote.
“>https://t.me/AussieCossack/17354

Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | May 19 2024 23:07 utc | 117

@114 osi
That has been questioned I think. Now searching @400km2 for the flight in low light and cloud cover. 7 Iranian drones plus Akinci (onboard video clip below)
https://t.me/GazaNewsNow/302343

Posted by: Ornot | May 19 2024 23:17 utc | 119

This is the end of civilisation as we know it.

Posted by: Mark2 | May 19 2024 23:23 utc | 121

There were 4 helicopters. How is it that if the weather was the issue, ONLY 1 purportedly crashed? Where are the other 3? And why were the President as well as the Foreign Minister on the same craft?

Posted by: susetta | May 19 2024 23:33 utc | 123

There were 4 helicopters. How is it that if the weather was the issue, ONLY 1 purportedly crashed? Where are the other 3? And why were the President as well as the Foreign Minister on the same craft?

Posted by: ann | May 19 2024 23:35 utc | 125

RE: 🔴” Putin meets Iran amb. to Russia, expresses readiness to do whatever necessary over president copter crash”
Posted by: Zet | May 19 2024 22:54 utc | 112
Hum… I haven’t seen a link or reference yet that Putin/Russia used the words “copter crash”…
I think for good reason so far.
Search? yes Rescue? yes
https://t.me/AussieCossack/17354
Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | May 19 2024 23:07 utc | 117
This link of Light shows where Russia stands on it all. Until later maybe.

Posted by: Trubind1 | May 19 2024 23:38 utc | 127

Red Crescent are concentrating on an area where fuel has been smelt by searchers…

Posted by: Ornot | May 19 2024 23:42 utc | 129

RE: @ Zet | May 19 2024 22:54 utc | 112
Sorry… posted wrong link from Light regarding Russia/Putin
https://t.me/llordofwar/351604
Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | May 19 2024 22:51 utc | 111

Posted by: Trubind1 | May 19 2024 23:43 utc | 131

At SMUKSS:
So, if you are correct, and there were only 3, and only 1 suffered disastrous consequences, then why did the other 2 not aid the hailing one? They were traveling together. Where are the other 2 currently?!

Posted by: susetta | May 19 2024 23:54 utc | 133

Check out this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wpYBEDmx0g

Posted by: susetta | May 19 2024 23:59 utc | 135

Right now I don’t see reason to suspect foul play over less sinister scenarios. The President of Iran’s travel arrangements aren’t my business but at a glance using a helicopter to travel over mountainous terrain across a friendly border to plausibly remote locations for a dam opening ceremony… it seems reasonable. Equipment can fail and pilots can make mistakes, and the weather would complicate any emergency on board.
However, the reported absence of communication is not as easily explained. I feel that Iranian authorities may not be forthright with the public about what they know from many different information-gathering tools at the government’s disposal, from radio comms with the crew to full-spectrum surveillance of their own airspace.

Posted by: a stone | May 20 2024 0:01 utc | 137

RE: “Where are the other 2 currently?!”
Posted by: susetta | May 19 2024 23:54 utc | 133
Reportedly, back in Iran. The rest of the incident is unknown atm. We’ve no idea what the 2 and those aboard reported.
The story is: Weather/aStorm/anOld Helicopter… that’s the gist so far. And if true, hard to “assist”. But, all makes little sense, unless something particularly happened to that particular helicopter, be it nature, mechanical or mischief.
Certain investigations have just scratched surface.
But Azerbaijani & Turkey as Azerbaijani protector, will see a reckoning. Russia stretched by idiocy in Armenia by Azerbaijan and Iran was handing a fig leaf in Azerbaijani. Now think Russia & Iran tighten noose on Azerbaijani & Turkey in days ahead.

Posted by: Trubind1 | May 20 2024 0:13 utc | 139

Posted by: ChasMark | May 19 2024 16:57 utc | 44
One diff between WWI and WWII is that in WWII there was deliberate targeting of civilians by both sides. For example, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and the fire bombing of German cities. All done by the Americans and the Brits.
Considering what the Germans did in the Soviet Union, I think the Soviet response was quite restrained.

Posted by: JAB | May 20 2024 0:19 utc | 141

Suresh 138
Prussia continued to exist as an administrative entity until 1945, I think.
Re refugees, just about everyone who lived in the eastern regions of Germany streamed west before the advancing Red Army, if they could do so.
That is the reason there were so many refugee civilians in Dresden when it was fire=bombed.

Posted by: Jane | May 20 2024 0:40 utc | 143

At TRUBOND1″
But if the other 2 have arrived and are in Iran, and as you posit, may have not have been able to assist due to the impossibility of so doing, given the conditions at hand, then why would they not have been able to provide info on the location of the trouble, in order that that the search could be to narrowed and expedited? Even if the regime wished to extend the duration of time in order to better prepare to tell the public, why so long? Around 10 hours have now passed.
This was revenge by the Israelis for the fact that they just have found out that 50 of the Gaza Tunels went all the way into Egypt proper. The only question I now have is did they murder him or did they capture him? I am starting to think the latter. But if the latter, they as well as Iran, would need that Iran respond quickly with what they (the Israelis) want, in exchange for handing back the Iranian Officials, before it becomes untenable to claim that the officials were lost for more than 1 week in the mountainous forest.

Posted by: susetta | May 20 2024 0:46 utc | 145

Posted by: JAB | May 20 2024 0:19 utc | 141

“Considering what the Germans did in the Soviet Union, I think the Soviet response was quite restrained.”

Mearsheimer expressed similar opinion post @ https://www.moonofalabama.org/2024/05/palestine-open-thread-2024-144.html#comments
A case can be made that USA wished/intended that Germany eradicate Bolshevics from Soviet Union.
After all, and since you mentioned WWI, it is the case that in ~1917-1918 the Wilson administration sent troops to Russia to overturn the Communist Bolshevic takeover of Russian government
https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1028&context=biw
Wilson’s effort failed. But that does not mean the itch was relieved.
It is also the case that there were powerful tensions in the ‘pacification’ of post-War Germany: one faction, predominantly Jewish / Morgenthalian, was intent on punishing Germany as harshly as possible.
Many in US Congress and US military leadership were opposed to this position, hence, the Marshall plan. A middle-ground was achieved through the argument that US should work to retain Germans in its sphere rather than the Soviet Communist sphere. Harold Zink’s American Military Government in Germany is a useful resource.
Soviet Russia turned into an enemy of US with astonishing speed after hostilities ended. The hot war against Germany very quickly turned into a cold war against Soviet Russia.
___
nb. profound apologies to Jane and to giyane for the “entertaining”, “mal-motivated” and “cynical” but “cringe” comments.

Posted by: ChasMark | May 20 2024 1:12 utc | 147

UPDATE: Iran Missing Helicopters
IRGC confirmed that Turkish UAV detected a heat source from the wreckage of President Raisi’s helicopter [reported on Press TV and Anadolu Agency] … Russia Emergencies Ministry first batch of ii-76 aircraft and search and rescue crew just took off from Zhuovsky Airport to Tabriz, Iran to assist in rescue operations.

Posted by: Thirsty | May 20 2024 1:26 utc | 149

UPDATE: 6 Iranian UAVS and on Turkish UAV are searching within a 20km radius … Turkish UAV is providing live streaming video of the search, about 1.9 million people are watching the live stream. It is interesting to note the extent to which various countries across the world have acted to show solidarity and assistance – Russia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, Venezuela, Equatorial Guinea (yes, I know, how random 🙂 ) on and on … let us hope that this is an accident and all will be alive … but with each passing moment, the conditions on the mountainous terrain are dire and pose a danger

Posted by: Thirsty | May 20 2024 1:37 utc | 151

Iran’s Supreme Leader – No Disruption in the Work of the Country
“ … our dear people, whether you are present here or those who will hear this message later, there will be no disruption in the work of the country.

Posted by: Thirsty | May 20 2024 1:44 utc | 153

A couple of days ago Fico was shot
Now this…
When people talk about the the Kim’s only taking trains… you’re not paranoid if people are trying to kill you.

Posted by: Newbie | May 20 2024 1:52 utc | 155

Chances of a 67 years old man surviving a heli crash must be close to 0.
No way Israel is not involved in this. Iran buying time ahead of their response. Bussy week ahead

Posted by: Mariátegui | May 20 2024 1:59 utc | 157

Now back to the ongoing genocide in occupied Palestine ….
Laith Marouf: Israel’s Genocide of Gaza, Palestinian Resistance & Global Implications
There is much in the interview but regarding the U.S. pier that was built on Gaza’s territory, the supposed rationale was to allow for humanitarian aid [an insignificant amount] to be delivered from the Sea that will be loaded onto U.S. Navy boats and transported on the Pier that is administered by U.S. and IDF soldiers then delivered by IDF to some UN aid groups … mind you this has militarized aid delivery AND put U.S. boots on the “ground,” “air” and “territorial waters” of Palestine.
Laith, states around min 15 that he believes the Pier is built as a beach head to allow the U.S. to invade Gaza if and when the Israeli military collapses.
He does not seem to give credence to the idea that it could be a pathway to the ‘transfer’ of the people of Gaza in the ethnic cleansing project that Israel and U.S. have been jointly coordinating since the start of the invasion.

Posted by: Thirsty | May 20 2024 2:14 utc | 159

First image, doesn’t look intact if it is the helicopter…
https://t.me/SEPAHCYBERY/90513

Posted by: Ornot | May 20 2024 2:19 utc | 161

Can anyone explain to me why the president of a country which is at (proxy) war with israel and the USA
would take a helicopter through mountainous regions, where there’s plenty of fog etc etc, or chances of being shot down or the helicopter being sabotaged……
in a region crawling with Mossad and CIA agents
Would not a plane guarded by your air force jets be a more secure way of getting around the region?

Posted by: michaelj72 | May 20 2024 2:29 utc | 163

fyi
I have checked with al Jazeera and Sputnick for a few updates. this just from a few minutes ago
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240519/live-updates-iranian-presidents-helicopter-crashes-in-east-azerbaijan-province-1118530517.html
LIVE UPDATES: Iranian President’s Helicopter Crashes in East Azerbaijan Province
Iranian Red Crescent Found No Signs Those on Board Iranian President’s Helicopter Are Alive
“Rescuers have reached the wreckage of the helicopter. There was no sign of surviving passengers, after locating the site of the crashed helicopter,” Entekhab portal reported, quoting Pir Hosein Kolivand, head of Iran’s Red Crescent Society, as saying…..

Posted by: michaelj72 | May 20 2024 3:24 utc | 165

Can anyone explain to me why the president of a country which is at (proxy) war with israel and the USA
would take a helicopter through mountainous regions, where there’s plenty of fog etc etc, or chances of being shot down or the helicopter being sabotaged…… in a region crawling with Mossad and CIA agents
Would not a plane guarded by your air force jets be a more secure way of getting around the region?
Posted by: michaelj72 | May 20 2024 2:29 utc | 163
I can help. Because someone stole their mountain bikes and backpacks! (big smile)
—
Iran and Azerbaijan on Sunday, May 19, opened a hydroelectric dam on their border, with officials calling the megaproject a symbol of “long-term cooperation” and “friendship and amity” between the two nations despite political disagreements in recent years, IRNA reported.
The Qiz Qalasi (Maiden Tower) Dam, built on the Aras River along the Iran-Azerbaijan border, was brought online by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev hours before the helicopter crash and subsequent search operation.
https://www.intellinews.com/iran-azerbaijan-open-border-hydro-dam-on-shared-river-325884/
The Dam is on the border …. mountainous region …. no Freeways! No Airports!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aras_Dam
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Iran-Armenian-Azeri_border_%28Cro%29.PNG
The latest census in 2016 showed a population of 11,472 people in 3,377 households.[2] The city lies on the western bank of the Aras River. Also adjacent to Poldasht is the Aras River Dam.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poldasht
Nearest Airport – Nakhchivan City in Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Azerbaijan
https://www.rome2rio.com/s/Nakhchivan/Nakchivan-Airport-NAJ

Posted by: Lavrov’s Dog | May 20 2024 3:45 utc | 167

Thanks to whoever posted the link to the article about Iran building its own helicopters out of the old Bell factory.

Posted by: Exile | May 20 2024 4:09 utc | 169

President Raesi confirmed dead by Press TV (Iran) news channel.
24/7 live coverage
https://www.presstv.ir/Live
easy to access if you use Yandex as search engine

Posted by: Willow | May 20 2024 5:25 utc | 171

Where was the helicopter parked during the inauguration of the dam In IR or AZ?
https://www.israeltoday.co.il/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Azerbaijan-is-part-of-the-Turkic-peoples-Prime-Minister-Benjamin-Netanyahu-meeting-with-Azerbaijan-president-Ilham-Heydar-Oghlu-Aliyev-in-2016-Photo-by-Haim-Zach-GPO-scaled.jpg

Posted by: McKotz | May 20 2024 6:31 utc | 173

The asassination is a sign of weakness not of strength.

Posted by: Exile | May 20 2024 6:54 utc | 175

Sometimes shit just happens. The Polish President and entourage were killed on their way to Russia when their plane went down in bad weather.
Condolences to the families and the people of Iran for their loss.

Posted by: Suresh | May 20 2024 7:35 utc | 177

This is one of those stories in which the equation 2+2=4 is not valid.
While the focus is on Raisi and Amir Abdollahiyan, the real person of interest was the charismatic cleric Ale-Hashem with some popular influence in entire Azerbaijan region (East Azerbaijan, West Azerbaijan – two provinces in Iran – and then, the Republic of Azerbaijan).
The top bureaucrat Raisi and the top diplomat Amir Abdolahiyan with high symbolic value can be replaced easily but not the cleric which had a functional value in an important region.
All three belonged to the same Clerical faction of power in the Iranian government. Other factions like National Bourgeois, Technocrats, Commerce Chambers (mostly cleaned up recently) wouldn’t choose this type of confrontation. Remains the faction of Finance Capital which like any other country, would be able of doing all type of crimes.
In the region, you got CIA/MI6/Mossad/MİT crime syndicates and their more or less – common operation base -in the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Aliyev in the republic of Azerbaijan is smart enough to don’t risk the future of his dynasty by approving such an operation. Turkey also would have a lot to lose in case of increased regional tensions but the fact is that in a Nato member country, the Intelligence apparatus is not owned by the domestic government.
Possibility of a coup d’etat, none.
Possibility of a regime change/ color revolution/ chaos, almost none.
Possibility of increased regional tensions, high.

Posted by: Framarz | May 20 2024 7:48 utc | 179

JAB @ 142
“What is GB?”
Typo, meant GT, Global Time.

Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | May 20 2024 7:54 utc | 181

On TG yesterday there was unverified information that an Indian who was seen hanging around Raisi’s helicopter in Azerbaijan.
Clearly planted information to sow confusion and create wedges. Just a few days after India & Iran signed an important transport agreement who want to.

Posted by: Old Sovietologist | May 20 2024 8:19 utc | 183

Aaron Maté
@aaronjmate
Washington Post: “Iran, hampered by sanctions from getting parts and maintenance materials for government aircraft, has suffered several high-profile helicopter crashes in recent years.”
US sanctions have caused helicopter crashes in Iran. Not sure if that’s the case with Raisi’s crash, but another reminder that “sanctions”, which sound benign, are a form of violence. https://washingtonpost.com/world/2024/0
https://x.com/aaronjmate/status/1792424776746553771

Posted by: Menz | May 20 2024 9:06 utc | 185

Kevork Almassian🇸🇾🇦🇲
@KevorkAlmassian
It is crucial to understand that Iran is not a banana republic, and regardless of President Raisi’s destiny, Tehran will persist in functioning in the same manner. Nevertheless, the enemies of Iran should hope that the crush was an accident and nothing more.
https://x.com/KevorkAlmassian/status/1792267510596678095

Posted by: Menz | May 20 2024 9:08 utc | 187

Facekicker | May 20 2024 9:07 utc | 186
As I posted yesterday, if this was a terrorist attack, the real target wasn’t Raisi but Abdollohian and yes Special Ops don’t always go according to plan

Posted by: Old Sovietologist | May 20 2024 9:27 utc | 189

Posted by: teri | May 20 2024 9:30 utc | 190
I don’t think it was accident it was assassination with Israel the most likely suspect, less likely Britain courtesy of MI6 but they have heavily penetrated Azerbaijan since 1991 so you couldn’t rule it out.
Raisi was an important figure. There are some who say that he can be easily replaced, it won’t be easy.
Whatever has happened be it accident or assassination. expect the UK/USA to take advantage of the situation. A struggle for power is possible, and against this background anything can happen, including a colour revolution.

Posted by: Old Sovietologist | May 20 2024 9:44 utc | 191

Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | May 20 2024 9:48 utc | 192
You’re right Russia and China will ensure that this was an accident caused by bad weather/technical malfunction and Iran will go along with it.

Posted by: Old Sovietologist | May 20 2024 9:52 utc | 193

3 helicopters flying together in “bad weather”. The ONLY one with key figures go down in “bad weather” but the other two continue on their journey? Make it make sense!!!
Only explanation would be an explosion onboard and pilot suddenly losing control – hence, the crash. This was an assassination operation!
Also, what genius security coordinator puts all key figures on the same aircraft?

Posted by: Zico | May 20 2024 9:59 utc | 195

We recently learned on MOA that the west was carrying out assinations in Yemen under the code name ‘daddy’s home’ (i think) 20 or thirty top military were murderd by US UK trained special teams plus their payed on the ground colaberaters.
This latest assination is a predictable follow on from that.
Iran lost 4 top generals only weeks ago, blatently. And gave israel a slap on the wrist. You cant do that. Its percieved as weakness. Psychopaths and bullys need a strong punisment, they need to feel pain.
I’m sorry but thats just how it is.
Is it to late ? Not while you have breath in your body.
Ther is no such thing as coinsidenence,
Wtfu.

Posted by: Mark2 | May 20 2024 10:13 utc | 197

I’m pretty sure Raymond Remington did it. :-/

Posted by: Lavrov’s Dog | May 20 2024 10:21 utc | 199