President Ebrahim Raisi is met with an accident when his helicopter was pressured right into a “forceful emergency touchdown”, Iranian state media reported on Sunday.
However day turned to night earlier than state tv might report that the helicopter had been discovered within the thick fog within the space.
Nonetheless, it was not talked about whether or not Ebrahim Raisi had additionally been discovered, Reuters studies, and conflicting details about the helicopter discover quickly got here when the Purple Crescent, in line with the BBC, said that the helicopter had not been discovered in any respect.
The helicopter disappeared in a distant mountainous space 60 miles northwest of the capital Tehran and close to the border with Azerbaijan.
In current days, the realm has been hit by heavy rain, fog and robust winds, in line with the state information company Irna. A primary rescue staff that reached the crash website was unable to land – the fog was too thick, emergency companies mentioned.
What it says it’s clear that the rescue employees are in a rush. The darkness has settled and with it got here the chilly over northwest Iran, authorities spokesman Ali Bahadori Jahromi admitted in line with AP that issues arose with “the sophisticated situations”.
Iran has despatched out a big rescue mission, and Turkey has already despatched about 30 individuals and a helicopter to assist. Iraq, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Russia and Saudi Arabia have additionally all supplied help.
In a televised speech earlier within the day, Iran’s supreme chief, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, urged the Iranian individuals “to not fear”, writes AFP.
“We hope that the almighty God will deliver again our pricey president and his associates to the arms of the nation in full well being,” he mentioned.
Raisi was touring in an entourage of three helicopters, and it was initially unclear whether or not the president was on board the actual helicopter that crashed.
Alongside for the trip from the border with Azerbaijan, in line with Irna, there have been additionally International Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, the native governor and quite a lot of high-ranking authorities officers.
The helicopters had been on their method to Tehran from an inauguration of a dam on the Aras River that the 2 nations collectively constructed. Along with Raisi, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev additionally participated.
63-year-old Ebrahim Raisi advocates a tough and arch-conservative line and is taken into account Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s protégé and certain inheritor.
