The death of Ebrahim Raisi opens the homepages of almost all international media. Here's a review.
New York Times
Raisi's impact on domestic politics during his presidency was felt very deeply, and his legacy is likely to be controversial. During his government, the country suffered a severe economic recession, caused by international sanctions and high unemployment. Under his leadership, Iran's currency sank to a record low, climate change and mismanagement intensified water shortages and the country was hit in January by the worst terrorist attack since the republic was founded in 1979.
Washington Post
After then-Iranian Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini agreed to a UN-brokered ceasefire with Iraq, members of the Iranian opposition group Mujahedeen-e-Khalq, heavily armed by Saddam Hussein, raided across the Iranian border from Iraq with a surprise attack, repelled by Iran. According to a 1990 Amnesty International report, captured prisoners were asked to identify themselves and those who answered that they were “mujahideen” were sent to their deaths, while the others were sent to “clear the minefields”. It is estimated that the commission on which Raisi served sent at least 5,000 people to their deaths.
FAZ
Given the limited powers of the presidency, for the moment there are no signs of a national crisis. However, opponents of the regime may try to take advantage of the transition phase. Even the Revolutionary Guards, who have steadily expanded their influence in recent years, will likely try to use the new situation to their advantage.
Yedioth Ahronoth
Iranian strategy is not expected to change after the president's death and the Islamic Republic is legally and organizationally prepared to face his death. However, it is expected to shake up Iran's political system both immediately and in preparation for the future succession struggle. Furthermore, the circumstances of his death could cause significant further damage to the Iranian public's trust in the institutions of the Islamic Republic. Although the crash of the president's helicopter is related to weather circumstances, it adds to a series of failures by Iranian authorities in recent years, such as the downing of the Ukrainian plane by the Revolutionary Guards in January 2020, the their failed conduct in the face of natural disasters and Covid, and a series of security breaches that emerged following assassinations and acts of sabotage attributed to Israel in recent years against security personnel and sensitive facilities in Iran.
CNN
A hardline former judiciary head with a brutal human rights record, Raisi was elected president in a vote heavily manipulated by the Islamic Republic's political elite so that his candidacy was virtually unopposed. While president, his powers were dwarfed by those of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Guardian
Raisi's death comes at a time when the country faces a political transition. A new ultra-conservative parliament was elected on March 1 in elections marked by voter turnout that fell 10% to 41%, a historic low. Reformist or moderate politicians have been disqualified or beaten, leaving a new and untested division in parliament between hard-line traditionalists and an ultra-conservative group known as the Paydari or Fortitude Front.
Le Figaro
Presenting himself as a champion of the disadvantaged classes and of the fight against corruption, Raissi was elected in the first round of a vote characterized by record abstention and the absence of important competitors.
Dawn (Pakistan)
For years, many have seen Raisi as a strong contender to succeed Khamenei, who has supported Raisi's major policies. Raisi's victory in a carefully managed election in 2021 brought all branches of power under the control of extremists, after eight years of the presidency being held by the pragmatic Hassan Rouhani. However, Raisi's position may have been dented by widespread protests against the clerical government and the inability to restore the Iranian economy, undermined by Western sanctions.
Strait Times
One of the big questions raised by Raisi's death is how his absence will affect the battle over who will succeed Khamenei as supreme leader. This is a question that has worried academics, officials and analysts as the supreme leader ages. Raisi's death could also have consequences for Iran's relations with the rest of the region. Raisi has also overseen a period of closer ties with Gulf Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and while the policy is likely to continue, each new leader may have different priorities.
South China Morning Post
Raisi's victory in a carefully managed election in 2021 brought all branches of power under the control of extremists, after eight years of the presidency being held by the pragmatic Hassan Rowhani and a nuclear deal negotiated with powers including Washington. However, Raisi's position may have been dented by widespread protests against the clerical government and the inability to repair the Iranian economy, hampered by Western sanctions.
Al Jazeera
Raisi continued his fight against corruption and made it the slogan of his election campaign, which made it easier for him to win with a percentage of 62%.
Al Arabiya
Interestingly, Raisi was in Azerbaijan to open the third dam that the two countries have built on the Aras River. The visit came despite cold relations between the two countries, including an armed attack on Azerbaijan's embassy in Tehran in 2023, and diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Israel.
Arab News
Under Raisi, Iran enriched uranium to near-nuclear levels and obstructed international inspections. Iran has armed Russia in its war against Ukraine, as well as launching a massive drone and missile attack on Israel. It has also continued to arm proxy groups in the Middle East, such as Yemen's Houthi rebels and Lebanon's Hezbollah. Meanwhile, mass protests have been raging in the country for years. The months-long repression cost the lives of more than 500 people and saw over 22,000 sent to prison.