MOSCOW: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has pointed fingers at the United States sanctions on Iran, alleging that they have exacerbated aviation safety concerns to a level that contributed to Sunday’s tragic helicopter crash that killed President Ebrahim Raisi.
“The Americans disown this, but the truth is that other countries against which the United States announced sanctions do not receive spare parts for American equipment, including aviation,” Lavrov said about the helicopter crash.
Lavrov’s remarks come amidst a backdrop of mourning as Iran begins the three-day funeral ceremonies honoring Raisi and his Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, who perished in the crash.
Highlighting the broader ramifications of US sanctions, Lavrov condemned what he characterized as a deliberate hindrance to ordinary citizens’ access to critical resources and services. The shortage of spare parts, he contended, directly correlates with a decline in aviation safety standards, posing grave risks to passengers and operators alike.
The crash, which claimed the lives of President Raisi and several members of his entourage, including provincial officials and security personnel, has plunged Iran into mourning. Images from the crash site showed the wreckage of a US-made Bell 212 helicopter, though the official cause of the incident remains undetermined.
Iran’s historical reliance on Bell helicopters underscores the significance of the aviation industry to the nation’s infrastructure and operations. However, decades of economic sanctions have severely impeded Iran’s ability to procure essential components and modernize its aircraft fleet.
