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A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi crashed on Sunday in a mountainous space within the nation’s north-west, based on Iranian officers who didn’t present particulars of his situation.
State media confirmed video footage of a convoy of ambulances struggling to make their approach by way of thick fog up a mountain highway. Based on Tasnim information company, the crash website has been positioned in Arasbaran Forest close to the border with Azerbaijan.
Pir-Hossein Kolivand, the pinnacle of Iran Purple Crescent, mentioned that 40 fast response groups had been deployed to look the world. Makes an attempt to find the crash website with drones failed earlier within the day attributable to unhealthy climate and the rugged terrain, he mentioned.
Iranian overseas minister Hossein Amirabdollahian was additionally on board the helicopter as a part of Raisi’s entourage, coming back from a day journey to the nation’s northern neighbour, Azerbaijan, the place they inaugurated a dam.
Inside minister Ahmad Vahidi mentioned the president’s helicopter had a “laborious touchdown” in a mountainous and foggy area, the place communication was “considerably troublesome”. Additional data could be supplied when rescue groups reached the accident website, he mentioned.
Rescue employees had not reached the crash website by dusk, with darkness, rain and chilly temperatures additional complicating efforts to find the plane. State media was broadcasting prayers on Sunday night, urging Iranians to hope for his or her president.
The catastrophe administration company of neighbouring Turkey mentioned on Sunday evening that Iran had requested a night-vision search and rescue helicopter and Ankara mentioned it will additionally provide mountain rescue personnel and autos.
There have additionally been provides of help from different nations together with Saudi Arabia and Russia. The European Union provided emergency satellite tv for pc mapping expertise to assist Iran with the search.
Earlier within the day, some members of the president’s entourage who had been on board the helicopter, managed to make contact, elevating hopes that the incident would possibly end in minimal casualties, Tasnim mentioned. Two different helicopters that had flown to Azerbaijan and again carrying different ministers and officers “have safely reached their vacation spot”, it mentioned.
Ought to Raisi be incapacitated, first vice-president Mohammad Mokhber will take over his duties.
Raisi was elected in 2021 in a vote with a file low turnout within the nation’s historical past. He’s anticipated to hunt re-election subsequent 12 months, and his title has emerged in political circles as a prime candidate to succeed Iran’s supreme chief, 85-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The president has proven unconditional loyalty to the ayatollah and maintained shut relations with the Revolutionary Guards. After many years of tense relations between Iran’s presidents and the supreme chief over the extent of their powers, Raisi has been the primary to finish these tensions.
Khamenei on Sunday referred to as on the nation to not fear, reassuring residents that there could be “no disruptions” within the nation’s affairs or safety. He added that authorities had been doing their finest to make sure the federal government’s duties had been managed with order and effectivity.
He additionally requested everybody to hope for the protected return of the “revered president and his companions”.
Extra reporting by Adam Samson
