The helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister crashed on Sunday
while passing through mountainous areas in heavy fog, and rescuers were trying to reach the scene
An official told Reuters that the lives of Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian were in
danger after the helicopter crashed on its way back from the Azerbaijan border in northwestern Iran
“We are still hopeful but information coming from the crash site is very concerning,” said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who holds ultimate power in the Islamic Republic, sought to reassure Iranians, saying there would be no disruption to state affairs.
Iranian state media said bad weather was the cause of the crash and was complicating rescue efforts. The chief of staff of Iran’s army ordered all the resources of the army and the elite Revolutionary Guard to be put to use in search and rescue operations.