Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s helicopter has reportedly gone down over mountainous terrain, Iranian officials are saying. One official described the evolving situation as “very concerning” development.
The whereabouts of the president and his entourage are still undetermined.
The interior minister, Ahmed Vahidi, confirmed on state TV that a helicopter in a convoy carrying President Raisi had a rough landing on Sunday. Rescue teams have been struggling to reach the site due to difficult weather conditions.
Heavy rain, fog, and wind are reported in the area.
“The esteemed president and company were on their way back aboard some helicopters and one of the helicopters was forced to make a hard landing due to the bad weather and fog. Various rescue teams are on their way to the region but because of the poor weather and fogginess it might take time for them to reach the helicopter.”
He added: “The region is a bit [rugged] and it’s difficult to make contact. We are waiting for rescue teams to reach the landing site and give us more information.”
The incident occurred near Jolfa, a city on the border with Azerbaijan, approximately 600 kilometres (375 miles) northwest of Tehran.
President Raisi was returning from a visit to Azerbaijan, where he and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev inaugurated a dam on the Aras River. Despite cold relations between the two nations, the visit went ahead.
Prayers For The President
State official Fars News Agency has called on Iranians to pray for their president, and state TV has been broadcasting prayers for his safety.
President Raisi, a hard-liner and former head of the judiciary is considered a protégé of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He was elected president in 2021.
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