In the eyes of the world: Iran’s image is in tatters once more

20/06/2024

A HELICOPTER carrying Iran’s president Ebrahim Raisi takes off near the Iran-Azerbaijan border, on May 19. The helicopter later crashed, killing the president.

During major national incidents and crises, how institutions and apparatuses conduct themselves in such events detrimentally and beneficially impacts people’s perceptions. This depends on whether they display preparedness and prior readiness to manage emergencies and contingencies, or fail to do so.

Deliberating a nation’s reputation is not a matter of political and strategic indulgence. Rather, it falls within national priorities due to its bearing on interests and international relations.

Reputation plays a pivotal role in attaining diplomatic and strategic objectives, as it is shaped by myriad factors and considerations, especially those pertaining to prestige, stature, security, and military affairs.

International opinion

Undoubtedly, a nation’s image and reputation are an integral facet of its comprehensive power, at the very least in terms of military deterrence – the most sensitive aspect when it comes to Iran.

In the incident where the presidential helicopter crashed, resulting in the demise of all on board, Iran’s reputation suffered detrimental effects on multiple levels.

Notably, this occurred subsequent to Iran’s effort to project itself as a formidable regional force capable of deterring rivals through the drone strike it launched against Israel on April 13th.

The incident showcased specialized technical drone capabilities rather than being a retaliatory response to the Israeli airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus that claimed the lives of 16 individuals, including a senior Quds Force commander, Major General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, his deputy, and seven other Revolutionary Guard officers.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi visits the military equipment of IRGC Navy in Bandar Abbas, Iran, February 2, 2024. (credit: Iran's Presidency/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS)

From the initial moments of announcing the crash of the Iranian president’s plane, the overall portrayal did not present a favorable image of Iran as a preeminent regional power or how it seeks to promote itself.

It was also incongruous with Iran’s aspirations to possess dual civilian/military nuclear capabilities and its persistent claims of qualitative advancements in drone and missile manufacturing, satellite launches, and other endeavors necessitating advanced knowledge, scientific, and research capabilities.

The world discovered that Iran’s emergency and crisis institutions lack the requisite equipment to ascertain the location of a presidential plane crash within the country’s confines.

The search entailed dense fog, night vision devices, and sophisticated cameras – equipment furnished by Turkey’s Bayraktar Akinci drone, which identified two potential locations, aiding Iranian drones in subsequently pinpointing the precise coordinates.

Despite the regime’s intransigence and obstinacy in previous crises where it refused external assistance and sacrificed human lives in incidents such as earthquakes, insisting on rejecting offers of aid, this time it accepted support from Turkey and Russia. It even implored the EU to activate mapping systems to assist in locating the missing plane. The US also stated that it received an Iranian request for assistance but did not comply due to “logistical constraints.”

Iran promptly realized the issue transcended mere technical support and touched on its national optics. Consequently, Revolutionary Guard leaders swiftly expressed gratitude for Turkish assistance while affirming Iranian drones precisely determined the debris location.

However, Turkey had globally reported its advanced drone’s success in identifying the potential location, effectively enhancing its military industry’s renown. This drone, equipped with infrared sensors capturing and converting heat signatures into visible images, is indispensable for detecting vehicles, individuals, and objects in low-light, nocturnal, or adverse weather conditions.

It also boasts long-range imaging capabilities for identifying and tracking targets from considerable distances, highly crucial in challenging environments akin to the president’s plane crash.

The search operations for the presidential plane’s debris, persisting for nearly 15 consecutive hours, astonished the world, diminishing hopes of rescuing live passengers stranded in a rugged mountainous area for such a protracted time.

Rescue team works following a crash of a helicopter carrying Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi, in Varzaqan, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran, May 19, 2024. (credit: Azin Haghighi/Moj News Agency/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS )

This situation unveiled Iran’s modest rescue, emergency, and crisis management capabilities, especially in a country with towering mountains and arduous terrain where proactive equipment, tools, and preparations are expected for such conditions.

It showed Iran as this fragile state, resembling the Taliban’s reactions in addressing flood victims, searching with rudimentary equipment and animal transport.

Questions regarding Iranian capabilities also surround protocols for safeguarding leaders and presidents, and the security agencies’ role in making travel, flight decisions, ensuring safety, securing aircraft, and providing necessary communication means.

Additionally perplexing is the absence of any military aircraft accompanying the presidential plane on its journey, especially since security precautions mandate this given the flight along the Iranian-Azerbaijani border and Israel’s known intelligence presence in this vital region.

Iran’s reputation suffered due to the disappearance of the presidential helicopter and the inability of the Iranian state, with all its institutions, including the Revolutionary Guard, to identify the crash site.

The absence of an ability to determine not only the plane’s location but also the satellite phones of the state leadership passengers, coupled with the 15-hour search operation, raise pressing questions about the motives behind the journey given the circumstances and with prior knowledge of limited capabilities, whether for the plane itself or addressing crises arising from adverse weather and terrain conditions.

The writer is a UAE political analyst and former Federal National Council candidate.