Sunday, May 19, 2024 A helicopter carrying Iran’s President has crashed in poor weather, according to Iranian state media. President Ebrahim Raisi was traveling in the far northwest of Iran after a visit to Azerbaijan. Rescue teams and the army are trying to reach the crash site, but heavy fog in a mountainous area is hindering their efforts.
Iran’s latest update: Rescuers search for President Ebrahim Raisi after crash President Raisi was reportedly accompanied by Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, the governor of East Azerbaijan province, and other officials. Interior Minister Ahmed Vahidi mentioned that Raisi was part of a convoy of three aircraft but did not explicitly confirm his presence on the crashed helicopter. State media initially reported the crash near Jolfa, about 375 miles (600km) from Tehran, but later placed it further east near the village of Uzi.
A rescue helicopter attempted to reach the site but was unable to land due to the fog, emergency services spokesman Babak Yektaparast told IRNA. The army’s chief of staff has ordered the deployment of all available resources, and Iraq has also offered assistance. Many of Iran’s military aircraft date back to before the 1979 revolution, and international sanctions make it difficult to obtain parts.
State media broadcast images of people praying for the president in the holy city of Mashhad and other locations. There are speculations that Raisi could eventually succeed the 85-year-old Supreme Leader. Pr.
