Picture: Iranian rescue workers lifted the bodies of the victims from the crash site on the 20th\ associated press

[Ta Kung Pao News] The Comprehensive Guardian and Politico website reported that the US State Department mourned the death of Iranian President Leahy in the crash on the 20th, and disclosed that Iran had asked the US to assist in the crash investigation, but the US could not provide assistance to Iran due to "logistical reasons".

Miller, spokesman of the US State Department, said at the press conference on the same day that Iran really asked the US for help, and said that in the event of such an accident, the US is willing to lend a helping hand to any government. However, the United States finally rejected Iran for "logistical reasons" and did not specify what the "logistical reasons" were. Leahy was aboard an American made Bel-212 helicopter.

Three senior officials of the US government said that after the crash, US officials have been concerned about who Iran might blame for the crash, and worried that Iran accused "Israel and the US have secretly disrupted the normal flight of helicopters".

Iranian media said that rescuers found a ring belonging to Leahy at the crash site on the 20th. The ring was presented to Leahy by Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The Iranian Red Crescent Society said it believed that all the personnel on the helicopter "died within a few minutes after the air crash".

After the accident, Turkish authorities tracked the signal sent by the helicopter transponder, but did not receive the signal. Turkish Transport Minister Ulaloglu said that the balise used to convey altitude and position information may have been turned off, or no balise is installed on the helicopter.