The plane crash in Iran and the death of the president and the head of the Foreign Ministry are a heavy blow to Russia’s positions, depriving it of a serious ally. 

In connection with the helicopter crash with the president in Iran, it is important to understand that key figures in the Russia-Iran partnership, including representatives of close military cooperation, were killed on board. The head of the Iranian Foreign Ministry was also a member of the IRGC unit that was responsible for operations abroad. He was not just a diplomat, he was an operative, and military cooperation with Russia could not take place without his direct participation. And President Raisi is a representative of a clan that has long-standing relations with the Russian Federation. 

Due to a combination of circumstances, both of these forces in Iran acted hand in hand with the interests of Moscow. An expert on the Middle East and Iran, journalist Yulia Yuzik, writes about this, commenting on the helicopter crash with high-ranking Iranian officials. Moreover, according to her, the plane crash and the death of Iranian officials caused shock in Moscow. 

“That is why the Kremlin experienced such a shock when they sent rescuers from the Ministry of Emergency Situations to the crash site and convened an emergency meeting between Putin and the government. There is too much at stake: a gas hub with the participation of Iran and Turkey, the North-South corridor, transits, circumventing sanctions, military cooperation. What happened is also a blow to Russia’s positions, depriving it of a serious ally,” Yuzik emphasized. Now, within the next two months, preparations for new elections are expected. 

According to the expert, Iran's foreign policy may change greatly. According to observers, Ebrahim Raisi was close to the pinnacle of power in the Islamic Republic and many believed he would rise to the very top, but in a dramatic turn a different scenario was presented to him. His death in a helicopter crash on Sunday ended speculation about who would ultimately replace Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, whose health has long been the subject of keen interest. 

The tragic fate of the Iranian president will test the system. "Raisi was a potential successor because, like Khamenei himself, he was relatively young, very loyal; he was an ideologue who was committed to the system, with a recognizable name," said Vakil, director of the Middle East program.