On Sunday, a helicopter carrying President Ebrahim Raisi was involved in an accident due to poor weather conditions
Rescue teams are searching for him and other officials, but their condition remains unknown.
State television reported that the helicopter accident occurred in the Jofa region of East Azerbaijan Province.
Rescue efforts are being hampered by harsh weather and heavy fog. It is believed that Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian might have been on board as well.
An Iranian official informed Reuters that the lives of Raisi and Amir-Abdollahian are “at risk” following the crash, expressing concern about the information coming from the site.
The crash happened in the mountainous forest area of Dizmar near Varzaghan. Raisi, who was in the province to inaugurate a dam project with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliev, was part of a convoy of three helicopters; the other two landed safely.
Raisi, 63, became president amidst social unrest and economic strain from US sanctions over Iran’s nuclear program. The country has faced significant turmoil, including mass protests after the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022, and renewed regional tensions, such as the conflict in Gaza and recent military escalations involving Israel.
Raisi’s political career began at a young age after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, leading to various high-profile judicial roles, including Tehran’s prosecutor-general and national prosecutor-general.
