Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, a hardliner seen as a potential successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, died in a helicopter crash near the Azerbaijan border, officials and state media reported on Monday. The helicopter, which crashed Sunday carrying Raisi,  Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and seven other people, was found early Monday after an overnight search in blizzard conditions. The wreckage was discovered charred in mountainous terrain.

Early Monday, state-affiliated media reported that the helicopter’s wreckage had been located near the village of Uzi in northwest Iran. Rescue teams were dispatched to the scene, but bad weather and heavy fog delayed their arrival. “Unfortunately, none of the passengers of this helicopter have been found with vital signs and the signs indicate that all of them were martyred,” reported the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

Raisi, 63, served as Iran’s elected president but remained subordinate to Ayatollah Khamenei, the country’s supreme leader. Despite the tragedy, Khamenei assured the nation that there would be no disruption to state affairs. According to Iranian law, First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber will assume power with Khamenei’s approval, and a presidential election must be called within 50 days.

Tasnim news agency confirmed the other passengers on board included Malek Rahmati, governor of the Iranian province of East Azerbaijan; Ayatollah Al Hashem, the Imam of Tabriz; Cmdr. Seyed Mahdi Mousavi, the head of the president’s security unit; and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps member Ansarol Mahdi. The helicopter’s pilot, co-pilot, and a technical assistant were also on board but have not been identified.

The officials were en route back from the inauguration of the Qiz Qalasi dam on the Aras River, which forms part of the border between Iran and Azerbaijan. State media aired prayers for Raisi’s safety during the search.

This incident marks a significant moment in Iran’s political landscape.