No Bullet Marks on Iranian President's Crashed Helicopter: Official

No bullet marks were found on the wreckage of the helicopter that crashed and killed President Ebrahim Raisi, an Iranian official said. 

The General Staff of Iran's Armed Forces published its first report on the helicopter crash involving Ebrahim Raisi and Iran's foreign minister. 

The report states, "There were no bullet marks or similar cases in the remaining components of the crashed helicopter."

Raisi, the 8th President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and seven of his companions lost their lives on the evening of Sunday. 

The crash occurred when they were returning from the opening ceremony of a dam. 

Mohammad Bagheri, the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, ordered an investigation into the dimensions and causes of the crash on Monday.

The preliminary report by the Supreme Committee investigating the helicopter accident states that "a significant part of the information in various specialized, technical, and general fields that could be involved in the accident has been collected," but "more time is needed to express a definitive opinion."

According to the report, "the helicopter continued on the planned route and did not deviate from the designated flight path." 

It also mentions that "about one and a half minutes before the helicopter accident, the pilot communicated with the other two helicopters of the flight group."

The report confirms that "no bullet marks or similar cases were observed in the remaining components of the crashed helicopter" and that "the crashed helicopter caught fire after hitting the height."

Due to the area's complexity, fog, and low temperature, the reconnaissance operation extended into the night and continued until early Monday morning. Ground forces were then dispatched to the site.

The initial report indicates that "no suspicious activity was observed in the conversations between the tower and the flight crew," but it also states that "more time is needed to check some parts and documents."

The report of the General Staff of the Armed Forces was released amid conflicting narratives from Iranian authorities, which have fueled uncertainty about the possible causes of the crash.

In response, two Tehran newspapers have called for clarification regarding the "ambiguities" surrounding the incident and urged an investigation into the possibility of a "foreign conspiracy."