Politico newspaper reported, citing informed sources, that the US administration fears that the Iranian authorities will accuse it of involvement with Israel in orchestrating the helicopter crash of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.

The sources told the newspaper that Washington is closely monitoring Tehran's reaction, and is counting on maintaining the status quo in the region, and at the same time fears that the hypothetical accusations will lead to escalation of tension in relations with Israel. According to the American authorities, it is unlikely that changes will occur in Iranian policy in the near future.

The newspaper reported that US officials on May 19 watched the search and rescue operation with concern "and speculated for hours about how the incident might change the situation in the Middle East."

The source confirmed to the newspaper that the question, “Is this really how World War III begins? It is no longer a kind of madness.”

This morning, the Iranian presidency announced the killing of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, and other officials during their return from the “Khoda Afrin” area on the shared border with Azerbaijan towards the city of Tabriz, following an accident involving the helicopter that was carrying them.

Yesterday, Monday, former Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif held the United States of America responsible for the tragedy of a major helicopter crash by preventing the sale of aircraft and their spare parts to Iran.