In a tragic turn of events, a helicopter transporting Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his delegation crashed on Sunday while traversing mountainous terrain enveloped in heavy fog. According to Iranian officials, the helicopter was returning from a visit to the border with Azerbaijan in Iran’s northwest when the incident occurred.
The lives of Iranian President Raisi, along with Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and several others onboard, are reportedly at risk, with rescue teams facing significant challenges in reaching the crash site due to adverse weather conditions.
Efforts to locate and rescue the passengers have been hindered by darkness and rain, complicating search operations. Despite these challenges, Iranian authorities have mobilized resources from the army and the elite Revolutionary Guard to aid in the search and rescue mission.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev visit the Qiz-Qalasi dam on the Azerbaijan-Iran border
The crash occurred near the town of Varzaghan in the protected forest area of Dizmar, with state TV attributing the accident to bad weather conditions. Initial reports suggested that the helicopter had been located, but conflicting information emerged, with Iran’s Red Crescent denying such claims.
President Raisi was in East Azerbaijan province for the inauguration of a dam project alongside his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev. While two other helicopters in Raisi’s convoy safely reached their destination, the one carrying the president and his delegation met with the tragic accident.
The incident has prompted a nationwide outpouring of prayers and concern for the safety of those involved, with live coverage of rescue operations dominating Iranian media channels.
As rescue efforts persist amidst challenging conditions, the nation remains hopeful for the safe recovery of all individuals affected by this unfortunate event.