DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, a hard-line protege of the country’s supreme leader who helped oversee the mass executions of thousands in 1988 and later led the country as it enriched uranium near weapons-grade levels, launched a major attack on Israel and experienced mass protests, has died. He was 63. Raisi’s death, along with the foreign minister and other officials in a helicopter crash Sunday in northwestern Iran, came as Iran struggles with internal dissent and its relations with the wider world. A cleric first, Raisi once kissed the Quran, the Islamic holy book, before the United Nations and spoke more like a preacher than a statesman when addressing the world. |
Hoping for a World Without IllnessErhu Virtuoso Showcases Chinese Culture, Music Charm at UNRural Delegate Wears Many Hats Serving VillagersBuilding BRI in South AmericaArtist Inherits, Promotes Kunqu OperaEntrepreneur Hits Big with EmbroideryWoman Pursues Dreams in Countryside, Contributes to Rural RevitalizationChen Chunyan: 'Liusanjie of New Generation' Sings for New EraCPC Delegate Committed to Subway SafetyEntrepreneur Hits Big with Embroidery