Iran President Raisi's Critics Celebrate His Death

Multiple people have taken to social media to celebrate the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.

The hard-line politician, who had been touted as a potential successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, died in a helicopter crash near the Azerbaijan border on Sunday, state media and the Iranian deputy for executive affairs, Mohsen Mansouri, confirmed.

Raisi was one of nine dead in the crash, which also included Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

Search and rescue teams discovered their bodies on Monday, after an overnight search in blizzard conditions. They will be transported to the city of Tabriz.

The Iranian government issued a statement calling Raisi "hard-working and tireless," saying he "sacrificed his life for the nation." It added that there "will not be the slightest disturbance" in the administration.

But some are rejoicing in the death of a man dubbed the "Butcher of Tehran" after his alleged role as one of the judges who oversaw the execution of thousands of political prisoners in the late 1980s following the Iran-Iraq war.

Human Rights Watch previously estimated that between 2,800 and 5,000 prisoners in at least 32 cities were killed.

"Evidence links several past and current senior officials to the executions, including President Ebrahim Raeesi," a report by the group said.

Iranian journalist and activist Masih Alinejad referenced this when she wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "Ebrahim Raisi, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, known to us Iranians as the Butcher of Tehran, is dead! He has been killed in a helicopter crash."

She has also shared videos of women dancing about his death, many of whom were involved in the "Woman Life Freedom" uprising which saw Iran become embroiled in protests in September 2022.

The regime had ramped up its enforcement of its mandatory dress code when 22-year-old Jina Mahsa Amini, a woman of Iran's Kurdish minority, was arrested by "morality" police. She died in custody three days later.

This triggered the uprising, which Iranian authorities responded to with great force, including firing live ammunition, metal pellets, and tear gas, as well as conducting arrests.

In a summary released last September, Amnesty International said "security forces unlawfully killed hundreds of protesters, including children," "blinded some with metal pellets," "arbitrarily arrested tens of thousands of people" and "committed widespread torture."

Several people have shared photos of Amini in the wake of Raisi's death, while others have added "#WomanLifeFreedom" to their general posts about it.

Washington-based activist Sarah Raviani posted a compilation video of several of the people who died in the aftermath of the uprising.

She wrote: "My thoughts are with the countless victims of the Islamic Republic—those whose lives were taken due to the crimes of Ali Khamenei and Ebrahim Raisi.

"Their futures were stolen and many endured untold suffering in their final moments. We will always remember our heroes."

Several clips show what their sharers say are members of the Iranian diaspora celebrating Raisi's death outside embassies, including in London, U.K.

People have also posted videos purporting to show some in Iran setting off fireworks in celebration, but others say this is Iranians commemorating the birthday anniversary of Imam Reza, which has fallen over the same time period.

But others are mourning Raisi's death, including Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who has ordered flags to fly at half-mast in a "mark of respect for President Raisi and his companions and in solidarity with Brotherly Iran," he said.

Beirut-based journalist Marwa Osman wrote: "We belong to Allah and to Him we shall return.

"It is with great sorrow and sadness that we extend our condolences to the Iranian people, led by His Eminence the Grand Ayatollah, Sayyed Ali Khamenei, may they all endure this great affliction."

Some anti-Zionists are also lamenting over Raisi's death, as it was under his leadership that Iran has supported the Hamas Palestinian militant group and the Yemeni Houthi movement, also known as Ansar Allah, in their fight against Israel, who they see as occupiers of Palestinian land.

Latin America-based journalist Benjamin Rubinstein, referred to Raisi "a hero" and said he would "pass into immortality."

Houthi senior official Mohammed Ali al-Houthi said: "Our deepest condolences to the Iranian people and the Iranian leadership. The Iranian people will continue to have leaders loyal to their people."

Similarly, Hamas said: "We are confident that the Islamic Republic of Iran will be able—with the help of Allah—to overcome the consequences of this great loss, as the dear Iranian people have strong institutions capable of dealing with this severe ordeal."

According to article 131 of the Islamic Republic's constitution, the First Vice President should take over in the event of the President dying—with the confirmation of the Supreme Leader, Khamenei. This would leave Mohammad Mokhber in power during the interim.

Update 05/20/24, 07:34 a.m. ET: This story was updated with additional information.