Ebrahim Raisi

Ebrahim Raisi (1960–2024) was the President of Iran from 2021 until his death in a helicopter crash on May 19, 2024. A hardline conservative cleric, he was elected president in 2021 in an election with historically low turnout. Before becoming president, he served as Chief Justice of Iran and was known for his role in the 1988 mass executions of political prisoners. His presidency saw the 'Woman, Life, Freedom' protests following the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022, which were brutally suppressed. Raisi was considered a potential successor to Supreme Leader Khamenei. His death in a helicopter crash in East Azerbaijan province was a major event in Iranian politics.