Raisi: Helicopter carrying Iranian president crashes

CNN
—

Iranian officials say rescuers are searching in the dark for a helicopter that crashed in northern Iran on Sunday carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. The condition of Raisi and that of Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, who was also on board, remains unknown as temperatures in the mountainous region plummet overnight.

The plane crashed in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province in the early afternoon, triggering a massive search operation that also included military drones and dozens of rescue teams, according to state media.

Officials said they were able to make contact with some passengers aboard the helicopter. But despite hours of searching, rescue workers were unable to reach the crash site despite reported fog and extreme cold.

A regional commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced late Sunday evening that he had determined the exact location of the crash after receiving a signal from the helicopter and a crew member’s cellphone, IRNA reported.

“Military forces are on their way to the location hoping for good news,” the commander reportedly said.

Raisi’s official Instagram account and state television have urged Iranians to pray for the president and his entourage.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei reiterated the call in a video statement, saying: “Everyone should pray for the health of this group of servants.”…People of Iran, don’t worry. There will be no interruption in the work of the country.”

The accident occurred as Raisi and Amir Abdollahian were returning from a ceremony marking the opening of a dam on Iran’s border with Azerbaijan, IRNA reported. Two other helicopters from the same convoy of dignitaries arrived safely at their destination, officials said.

Iranian authorities have identified a 2-kilometer radius of the crash site and believe the accident was “not serious” after speaking to two people who were traveling in the crashed helicopter, Iran’s vice president for executive affairs said. Mohsen Mansouri, told the semi-official Iranian FARS News.

“Three helicopters were on this route, but the helicopter carrying the president lost contact with the other two. They began searching and made contact with one of the helicopter occupants and the flight crew, indicating the incident was not serious. The Red Crescent, FRAJA, Army and IRGC rescue teams arrived and divided the tasks,” he said.

According to IRNA, the crash site is said to be somewhere in the Dizmar forest area between the villages of Ozi and Pir Davood. Residents in the northern Varzeqan region said they heard noises coming from the area.

Bad weather and poor visibility make rescue operations in rural areas difficult. Iranian Health Minister Bahram Eynollahi has warned that the crash site is very foggy, making the search difficult for rescue workers. “We have set up treatment facilities. “We are now in the area and all rescue workers are busy searching,” Eynollahi said on state television on Sunday. “We have provided all medical facilities including emergency medicine, surgery and ambulance.”

A deployment of helicopters in the area had already failed due to weather, Iranian military officials said.

“The helicopters of the 6th Combat Base of the Tabriz Air Force arrived in the Varzeqan area in accordance with the order to carry out relief operations,” said the commander of Iran’s 6th Air Base. “These helicopters, along with the rescue team, were dispatched to the presidential convoy helicopter accident area early in the morning. Unfortunately the operation failed due to unfavorable weather conditions.”

Iraq and Azerbaijan have offered Iran help in the ongoing search operation. In response to requests from Iranian authorities, the European Union said it would activate its satellite mapping service and Turkey said it would send a search-and-rescue helicopter with night-vision goggles and 32 mountaineer search-and-rescue personnel.

Russia also agreed to send two planes carrying 50 professional mountain rescuers on Monday to help reach the crash site, IRNA reported.

According to the White House, US President Joe Biden was informed of the incident.

Raisi’s powers as president are dwarfed by those of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who is the final arbiter of domestic and foreign affairs in the Islamic republic.

But Raisi is widely seen as a figure in whom the Iranian clerical establishment has invested heavily – and even as a potential successor to the 85-year-old Khamenei.

Raisi’s election in 2021 was heavily manipulated by the Islamic Republic’s political elite, meaning he would run virtually unchallenged. He appeared to be modeled on the ideals of the 1979 Islamic Revolution and was a guarantee of its survival, even if many suffered under its ultra-conservative rules. A year into his term, he brutally crushed a youth-led uprising against repressive laws like compulsory hijab and continued to suppress dissent thereafter.

Unlike his predecessor, the moderate former President Hassan Rouhani, there was no daylight between Raisi and Khamenei. This left many Iranians in no doubt that he was primed to be promoted to Supreme Leader.

Any disruption to this vision of succession could lead to further chaos in a country already suffering significant economic and political strain.

Correction: This story has been updated to correct that the reported incident occurred in East Azerbaijan Province, Iran.

This is a developing story and will be updated.