Picture of Iranian President’s chopper taking off earlier than the crash came about.

A helicopter with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Overseas Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian onboard has crashed within the mountains of the Jofa area of the western province of East Azerbaijan, experiences stated.

The 63-year-old Iranian President was visiting the province at this time, the place he inaugurated a dam challenge with Azerbaijanian President Ilham Aliev, on the border between the 2 nations. Iran’s Supreme Chief Seyyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei has advised residents to ‘not fear’ after Raisi’s helicopter crash.

“Lives At Threat”

The helicopter was a part of a chopper fleet that took off and navigated by means of dense fog and harsh climate situations. His convoy included three helicopters, and the opposite two had “reached their vacation spot safely,” based on Tasnim information company.

The helicopter is but to be positioned however an Iranian official advised Reuters that the lives of Raisi and Overseas Minister Amirabdollahian had been “in danger following the helicopter crash”.

“We’re nonetheless hopeful however info coming from the crash web site could be very regarding,” stated the official. There is no such thing as a information on Raisi’s situation.

Dangerous climate was complicating rescue efforts, the state information company IRNA reported. Over 40 rescue groups utilizing search canine and drones had been despatched to the location, the information company stated.

The helicopter reportedly belonged to the Iranian Pink Crescent Society (IRCS), a non-government humanitarian group.

Footages from state media present the IRCS staff and different rescue officers strolling up the mountain slope in dense fog to find the helicopter. The state TV additionally broadcast footage of individuals praying for Raisi in his residence metropolis.

Inside Minister Ahmad Vahidi stated one of many helicopters “made a tough touchdown because of unhealthy climate situations” and that it was “troublesome to ascertain communication” with the plane.

Leaders React To Chopper Crash

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reacted to the incident and stated, “Deeply involved by experiences concerning President Raisi’s helicopter flight at this time. We stand in solidarity with the Iranian folks on this hour of misery and pray for properly being of the President and his entourage.”

Deeply involved by experiences concerning President Raisi’s helicopter flight at this time. We stand in solidarity with the Iranian folks on this hour of misery, and pray for properly being of the President and his entourage.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 19, 2024

Neighbouring Azerbaijan’s President has provided to assist the rescue groups find the Iranian President’s chopper.

“In the present day, after bidding a pleasant farewell to the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi, we had been profoundly troubled by the information of a helicopter carrying the highest delegation crash-landing in Iran,” Aliyev stated on social media.  “The Republic of Azerbaijan stands prepared to supply any help wanted,” he added. 

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani “instructed the inside ministry, the Iraqi Pink Crescent and different related authorities to supply the Islamic Republic of Iran the obtainable assets to help within the seek for the Iranian president’s plane,” a authorities spokesperson stated.

“We’re intently following experiences of a doable exhausting touchdown of a helicopter in Iran carrying the Iranian president and overseas minister,” a US State Division spokesperson stated in a press release. 

A spokesperson for President Biden, Karine Jean-Pierre, advised reporters that the President has been briefed on the scenario. 

Ebrahim Raisi – A President Shut To Supreme Chief

Ebrahim Raisi got here to energy in 2021 after the Presidential elections and is near the Supreme Chief of Iran, Seyyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei. His time period witnessed one of many largest protests in Iran in a number of years for the reason that Islamic Revolution in 1979. 

In 2022, Mahsa Amini, an Iranian girl, died in police custody, sparking huge civil unrest and a brutal crackdown by the federal government for a number of months.

He got here to energy after an election which noticed greater than half the citizens staying away and several other fashionable candidates getting barred from contesting.

He succeeded Hassan Rouhani, whose largest achievement was a 2015 nuclear take care of world powers that gave Iran aid from worldwide sanctions. 

He has criticised the Rouhani regime after then-president Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew america from the nuclear pact in 2018 and reimposed punishing sanctions on Iran.

With Inputs from AFP, Reuters