Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian are missing following the Sunday crash of their helicopter. The Iranian leaders were returning from a visit to Iran's border with Azerbaijan in northwest Iran when their helicopter went down while flying in mountainous in heavy fog.

The terrain and weather are hamstringing search and recovery efforts, and the site of the wreck has yet to be located.

If Raisi is dead, and a frail, old man's chances of surviving a helicopter crash and prolonged exposure to the elements aren't terribly great, this will shake up the strategic situation in the region as the Iranian power centers jockey for position.