Mystery hangs over the fate of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the victim of a helicopter crash on Sunday in East Azerbaijan Province (northwest of Iran). This is what we know at this point about this incident.
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State television said that “an accident occurred with the helicopter carrying the president” in the Julfa area, in the heart of a mountainous, sparsely populated area.
Interior Minister Ahmed Wahidi spoke to state television about an “emergency landing” of the plane, without giving additional details.
The plane was part of a convoy of three helicopters transporting the presidential delegation.
Two of them landed safely in Tabriz, the big city in the northwest, but not the city where Mr. Raisi, 63, was.
The accident site is believed to be located in the Dizmar Forest near the town of Farzgan.
A short while ago, the Iranian President opened a dam in East Azerbaijan Province, accompanied by his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev, on the border between the two countries.
The official IRNA news agency indicated that in addition to the president, among the passengers on the plane were Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdullahian, the governor of the region, and the chief imam of the region.
Intensive search operations were underway late Sunday in northwestern Iran. “More than 20 rescue teams equipped with full equipment, including drones and rescue dogs,” were sent to the site, IRNA reported.
But the Interior Minister indicated that searches had become very difficult due to “unfavorable weather conditions.”
He added: “It may take some time to reach the area.” State television broadcast images of a number of Iranian Red Crescent members walking in dense fog.
Vice President Mohammad Mokhbar left Tehran in the late afternoon to arrive in Tabriz, accompanied by a number of ministers, according to the government spokesman. He will take over the position of president in the event of Mr. Raissi's death, pending presidential elections within 50 days.
Developments in the situation are being closely monitored at the international level.
