Israel has firmly denied any involvement in the helicopter crash that claimed the lives of Iranian President, Ebrahim Raisi; Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and other senior officials on Sunday.
The crash, which occurred in mountainous terrain during bad weather, has sparked widespread speculation and finger-pointing on social media.
Despite no official confirmation of the crash’s cause, accusations have surfaced, particularly targeting Israel, a long-time regional adversary of Iran.
However, Iran itself has not made any official accusations against Israel. The incident occurred amid heightened tensions between the two nations, exacerbated by ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, where Iran backs militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah against Israel.
The fact that the helicopter was returning from Azerbaijan, an ally of Israel, has fueled the complicity speculation.
An unnamed Israeli government source, however, categorically denied any involvement in the incident, stating to Reuters, “It wasn’t us.”
The crash has intensified the already fraught relationship between Iran and Israel. The two countries have engaged in direct confrontations recently, with Israel striking an Iranian diplomatic annex in Damascus on April 1, killing senior IRGC figures, including Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi. In response, Israel conducted low-level strikes on Iran, followed by indirect talks mediated by the US in Oman over the weekend.
Meanwhile, Iran has launched an investigation into the crash, but conspiracy theories are likely to persist until the official cause is determined and disclosed.
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