US "Feared World War" If Iran Blamed Raisi Crash On Israel, Russia: Sanctions "Put Lives At Risk"

US officials initially feared the helicopter crash that killed President Ebrahim Raisi on May 19 could trigger a new world war, Politico reported. There were concerns Tehran might blame Washington and Israel for the incident, a source told Politico. A helicopter carrying Raisi and his entourage went down on May 19 in the country’s northwestern East Azerbaijan province. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian was also traveling with Raisi. The president was returning from a meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, after they inaugurated a major dam project on the border.