Iranian President ‘Missing’ after Helicopter Crash

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is missing after a helicopter in his convoy suffered a ‘hard landing’ this afternoon, state media reported. 

Raisi had been on an official visit to northwestern Iran when his helicopter came down in a forested area in the mountains just south of Iran’s border with Azerbaijan.

Of his convoy of three Bell 212 helicopters – with a delegation of ministers on board – the two other aircraft reached their destination. 

Roughly 20 rescue teams, including drones and search dogs, are trying to reach the scene in the East Azerbaijan province. 

There is a ‘high probability of casualties’ due to the helicopter crash’s ‘high level of severity’, Iranian television quoted a source as saying.

It is not yet clear whether Raisi survived the crash, as the Iranian Ministry of Internal Affairs refused to confirm his condition.

The number of survivors – or dead – ‘cannot be confirmed’ at this stage, the report said.

An earlier report from Mehr News declaring ‘the President of Iran is fine and is travelling by car to Tabriz’ has been deleted.

On the official Instagram account of Raisi, 63, a post urged the public to ‘offer prayers for the health of the president and his companions’.

Those missing also include Iranian minister of foreign affairs Hossein Amirabdollahian, East Azerbaijan governor Malek Rahmati and Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Ale-Hashem, representative of the Iranian Supreme Leader to East Azerbaijan.

The Mehr News Agency, a semi-official state news agency, said in a Telegram update that the helicopter crashed due to bad weather conditions. 

A thick layer of fog means the area of the crash is all but ‘impenetrable’, the head of Iran’s Red Crescent Society, Pirhossein Koulivand told the Tasnim news agency.

With rain and freezing temperatures forecast well into the night, an Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reporter at the scene added that the inclement weather means the 240 Red Crescent rescuers have few options. 

Rainstorms have made driving to the site next to impossible due to mud, while the fog gives pilots little visibility. Search-and-rescue workers have been filmed combing the green hills on foot.

In an interview with Sedavasima Radio, Minister of Interior Ahmed Vahidi said: ‘Rescue teams were sent to the area, but due to the foggy and inhospitable nature of the area, it may take time to reach the helicopter.’

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have been deployed to the scene of the crash – the Iranian health minister has also arrived at the search area.

A hardline conservative, President Raisi had just visited the neighbouring country of Azerbaijan, where he appeared with his counterpart Ilham Aliyev for the inauguration of a dam.

Aliyev wrote on X: ‘Today, after bidding a friendly farewell to the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi, we were profoundly troubled by the news of a helicopter carrying the top delegation crash-landing in Iran.’

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, added in remarks aired on state TV: ‘We hope that benevolent God returns our dear and honourable president and all with him to the arms of the people.

‘Everyone must pray for the health of these public servants. The people of Iran must not be anxious or worried.’

Raisi was elected President in 2021 after eight years of reformist leadership in Iran.

A longtime jurist and former chief justice, Raisi has been tipped as the most likely person to succeed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Raisi’s presidency has been plagued with protests against deteriorating economic conditions and the oppression of women, often resulting in violent crackdowns on the opposition and members of the public.