Tehran, Iran – Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s life is reportedly at risk following a helicopter crash near the border with Azerbaijan. The incident occurred in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province near Jolfa, approximately 375 miles northwest of Tehran. Iranian state television reported that the helicopter suffered a “hard landing.”
The helicopter was part of a convoy of three and was carrying several high-ranking officials, including Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and Friday Prayer Imam Seyyed Mohammad-Ali Al-Hashem. The lives of President Raisi and Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian are at risk following the crash, according to an Iranian official who spoke to Reuters.
A frantic search mission is currently underway, but rescue efforts have been hampered by poor weather conditions in the area, including heavy rain, fog, and wind.
“Some of the president’s companions on this helicopter were able to communicate with Central Headquarters, raising hopes that the incident could have ended without casualties,” reported Iranian news agency Tasnim. However, there have been no immediate updates on Raisi’s condition.
State television aired images of SUVs speeding through a wooded area as rescuers attempted to reach the crash site. An emergency services spokesperson, Babak Yektaparast, stated that a rescue helicopter tried to reach the location but was unable to land due to heavy mist.
The cause of the incident remains unclear, and there has been no detailed explanation of what led to the helicopter’s hard landing. One local government official described the incident as a “crash” but admitted to an Iranian newspaper that he had not yet reached the site himself.
This incident comes shortly after Iran launched a significant drone-and-missile attack on Israel amid ongoing conflict in Gaza, adding to the heightened tensions in the region.
As the search and rescue operations continue, the international community awaits further updates on the condition of President Raisi and the other officials involved in the crash.