Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has attributed the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to the impact of US sanctions. Speaking at an event in Kazakhstan on Tuesday (May 21), Lavrov highlighted how American restrictions on the supply of aircraft parts jeopardize lives, as reported by Reuters.

Lavrov criticized the US for its sanctions, which he argued prevent sanctioned countries from obtaining essential spare parts for aviation. "Americans deny it, but the truth is, countries against which America has announced sanctions, do not get spare parts," Lavrov stated. He emphasized that these sanctions threaten global aviation safety.

The Russian Foreign Minister expressed his condolences, noting his close contacts with Raisi and other deceased officials. He indicated that he does not foresee any major shifts in Iran's foreign policy following their deaths.

The tragic helicopter crash occurred on Sunday (May 19) near Jolfa, in the border area of Azerbaijan. President Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and the governor of East Azerbaijan were among those on board. They were returning from inaugurating a reservoir project in Azerbaijan. The crash has prompted investigations and raised concerns over the safety implications of US sanctions on Iran's aviation sector.