Search underway after helicopter carrying Iran’s President Raisi crashes

The crash occurred near Jolfa in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province, Iranian officials said.

Raisi was returning from a visit to neighboring Azerbaijan, where he inaugurated a dam alongside President Ilham Aliyev, when the incident took place. State-linked media reported that three helicopters were in the Iranian president’s convoy, with the other two making it back safely.

Among those on board with Raisi were Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, East Azerbaijan Governor Malek Rahmati, and Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Ale-Hashem, the representative of the Iranian supreme leader to the province.

According to the semiofficial Tasnim News Agency, individuals inside the helicopter managed to make an emergency call, raising hopes that the incident can be resolved "without fatalities." However, it remains unclear what caused the "hard landing" or whether there were any injuries.

Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi stated that rescue teams were dispatched to the crash site, but fog and bad weather conditions might delay their arrival. The Iranian Red Crescent deployed 40 separate teams to the region, which is believed to be in the Dizmar Protected Area, a forested and mountainous zone.

There is no confirmation on the type of helicopter involved in the crash. Iran operates a variety of helicopters, many of which are outdated due to decades of sanctions, leading to frequent accidents.

Local sources indicated that it could take hours for the rescue teams to reach the exact site of the crash. Major-General Mohammad Bagheri called for utilizing all available resources to search for the president and his companions. (ILKHA)