The helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi experienced a “hard landing,” on Sunday afternoon, as reported by Iranian state media. Despite the challenging weather conditions caused by heavy rain and fog, rescuers are actively searching for the president’s helicopter.
Notably, the Foreign Minister of Iran, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the representative of the Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist in East Azerbaijan, Mohammad Ali Ale-Hashem and the Imam of Friday Prayer in Tabriz, were reportedly present in the helicopter with Raisi. The convoy consisted of three helicopters, two of which made a safely while the third crashed
As of now, details about the incident remain unknown, and it is yet to be confirmed whether President Raisi or any other passengers were injured. The accident occurred shortly after Raisi’s meeting with Azerbaijani President Elham Aliyev earlier that day on the Azerbaijani-Iranian border.
Iran flies a variety of helicopters in the country, but international sanctions make it difficult to obtain parts for them. Its military air fleet also largely dates back to before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
