No sign of foul play in Iran president's deadly helicopter crash, early report says

FILE PHOTO: The pictures of the late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi along with other officials who were killed in a helicopter crash, is held during a vigil to pay tribute to them at the Iranian Ambassador's residence in Jakarta, Indonesia, May 22, 2024. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan/File Photo

DUBAI (Reuters) -A preliminary report by Iran's military said no evidence of foul play or attack had been found so far during investigations into the helicopter crash that killed President Ebrahim Raisi, state media reported on Friday.

Raisi, a hardliner who had been seen as a potential successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed when his helicopter came down in poor weather in mountains near the Azerbaijan border on Sunday.