House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., released a statement Monday on the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash on Sunday.
Raisi, seen as a potential successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed when his helicopter crashed in poor weather in mountains near the Azerbaijan border.
"President Raisi's brutal reign in Iran was marked by terror, danger, and oppression that ranged from killing women who protested Shariah, to supporting terrorist proxies who massacred Israelis," Johnson said in the statement. "I will remain in close contact with national security officials regarding this event as more details emerge.
"In these fateful days, we pray for stability in the Middle East, for Iranian leaders who will seek to live at peace with their neighbors and the West, and for the day when the flag of freedom will be raised in Iran."
Since taking office in August 2021, Raisi, 63, had ordered a tightening of morality laws, oversaw a bloody crackdown on anti-government protests and pushed hard in nuclear talks with world powers.
Information from Reuters was used in this report.
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
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