Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, who died in the helicopter crash alongside Raisi, was known for his fierce anti-Israel stance.
A career diplomat from the city of Damghan, he had close ties to the Revolutionary Guards and took office following Raisi’s 2021 election win.
Hailed by state media for his support for “the resistance axis”, he intensified attempts to end Iran’s isolation and offset crippling US sanctions, culminating in a landmark deal to restore ties with Saudi Arabia in March 2023.
Last month, with regional tensions soaring over the ongoing war in Gaza, Amir-Abdollahian defended Tehran’s first-ever direct attack on sworn enemy Israel as being carried out “in the framework of legitimate defence and international law”.
He later downplayed a reported retaliatory Israeli raid as akin to child’s play.