Politico: US fears Iran will accuse Washington of involvement in Raisi's death

The publication Politico wrote that the US administration closely monitored the search and rescue operation, fearing that Tehran would blame Washington for the crash of the helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. The White House also asked questions about how this crash could change the situation in the Middle East.

Representatives of the US administration closely monitored the search and rescue operation and Tehran's response in the first hours after the crash of the helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, wrote Politico.

The administration has raised questions about how the crash would change the Middle East and who Iran might blame for the crash, three senior officials told the publication. Some have speculated that Tehran may blame the US and Israel for the crash, specifically that Washington and Tel Aviv may have remotely disabled the helicopter. The interlocutors suggested that this is how the third world war will begin.

At the same time, Politico notes that, according to initial intelligence, the crash could not be caused by anything other than bad weather. Earlier, US Senate Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also cited intelligence and said there was no evidence of "foul play" here .

"There was very bad, foggy weather at the place where the helicopter crashed in northwestern Iran. So, it seems like it was an accident, but the case is still under investigation,” he said.

However, Joe Biden's administration is worried that Tehran may make "big accusations" that could escalate relations with Israel, writes Politico.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller believes the Iranian government is "responsible for the 45-year-old helicopter flying in bad weather." Iran's air force equipment was mostly imported before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and international sanctions make it difficult to procure spare parts for them , AP said.