Iranian authorities have not yet released official information about the cause of the crash. But the fact is that the accident helicopter carrying President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian was about 40 years old. It is unknown how well the Augusta Bell 212 was maintained. But Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is confident that the helicopter’s safety has been compromised by the sanctions imposed by the US.
Sanctions imposed by the United States on Iran have worsened security in Iranian aviation, Lavrov said on Tuesday. “The Americans deny it, but the truth is that other countries against which the United States has imposed sanctions do not receive spare parts for American equipment. This also applies to aviation,” Lavrov said, referring to the helicopter crash. “We are talking about intentional harm to the citizens who use these aircraft, and the inability to supply spare parts is directly related to a reduction in safety levels.”
Difficulties in obtaining spare parts
Iran was a major buyer of Bell helicopters before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. It is unclear where the ill-fated machine came from. Decades of sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program have made it difficult for the country to obtain spare parts or upgrade its machinery.
The Bell 212 used by the Iranian state is designed exclusively for visual flight. According to Iranian media reports, the helicopter crashed on a mountain peak. Visibility was very poor at the time of the crash.
Source: Krone
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