U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has firmly denied any U.S. complicity in the recent helicopter crash that resulted in the death of Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi and other high-ranking officials. Austin addressed the media on Monday, May 20, following widespread speculation and inquiries about the incident.

"The death of Iran's president in a helicopter crash is extremely unfortunate. We are monitoring the situation closely," Austin stated. "However, I want to be clear: the United States has no conspiracy behind it. We await the findings of Iran's investigation into this tragic event."

Austin emphasized that the deaths of President Raisi and his officials would not affect the security dynamics of the Middle East. "The incident will not have any impact on regional security at the moment," he said, adding that Washington is cautious about speculating on the cause of the crash.

The fatal helicopter crash occurred on Sunday in the Jolfa area, near the border of Azerbaijan. President Raisi was accompanied by eight other officials, including Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. Iran confirmed on Monday that all on board had perished.

Iran has declared a period of mourning, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei announcing five days of national mourning. The funeral for President Raisi and his entourage is scheduled to take place on Tuesday in the city of Tabriz, following the recovery and identification of the bodies.

The tragic accident has cast a shadow over Iran and raised questions on the international stage. However, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's remarks aim to dispel any notion of U.S. involvement, emphasizing that the focus remains on understanding the cause of the crash through Iran's investigative efforts.