The President was situated in the East Azerbaijan province of the country, which is located in the northwest region of Iran. The helicopter incident involving the country’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, is being described as an ‘incident’ by the semi-official Tasnim news agency, with difficult weather conditions and fog impeding the rescue efforts, as reported by state TV.
US President Biden is reportedly heading to the White House for an urgent meeting in response to Raisi’s helicopter incident, according to an administration official speaking to Reuters. IRIB News on Telegram has mentioned that search teams are nearing the accident site, while the potential temporary replacement for Raisi, in case of his death, is First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber.
The head of Iran’s Red Crescent has confirmed that one of the search and rescue teams has reached the location where the Iranian president’s helicopter made a hard landing. Political analyst Mohammad Marandi highlighted that Raisi had been in the border region with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev to inaugurate a dam, with plans to visit several northern provinces, reflecting his commitment to traveling extensively within the country.
Marandi also noted the challenging weather conditions with heavy fog, leading to poor visibility, as shown in the rescue team’s footage. He speculated that the helicopter pilot may have opted for a quick landing to avoid risks, although there could be other factors at play in the incident.
At 14:56 GMT, it has been reported that rescue teams have successfully reached the location and have commenced an ongoing search operation.
The search efforts have been hindered by the foggy weather and the difficult terrain, making it challenging for the teams. According to IRNA, the Iranian news agency, the number of rescue teams deployed to the area has been increased from 20 to 40 teams.
