Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi, his overseas minister and alternative officers are lacking upcoming a helicopter crashed on Sunday in a mountainous border patch all through bulky fog.
The Bell 212 civilian plane went ill between Jolfa and Varzaqan, a patch at the border of Azerbaijani exclave Nakhchivan, round 600km (375 miles) northwest of the Iranian capital Tehran.
It used to be sporting Raisi, 63, and Iranian overseas minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, the governor of Iran’s East Azerbaijan province and alternative officers and bodyguards, the state-run IRNA information company reported.
The plane suffered what shape TV known as a “hard landing” upcoming it were given into issue all through bulky fog following a consult with with the Azerbaijani president to talk about an infrastructure undertaking over the Aras River, which separates Iran and Nakhchivan.
“We are still hopeful but information coming from the crash site is very concerning,” an Iranian respectable stated. He added that Raisi’s past used to be “at risk”.
40 rescue groups together with Iran’s Progressive Guards, ambulances, surgeons, drones and canines have been scrambled to find the helicopter, which used to be hampered via hail, fog and twilight situations.
The well-known of group of workers of Iran’s military ordered all assets of the military and the elite Progressive Guards to be put to usefulness in seek and rescue operations.
“We are thoroughly searching every inch of the general area of the crash,” shape media quoted a regional military commander as announcing. “The area has very cold, rainy, and foggy weather conditions. The rain is gradually turning into snow.”
On Sunday, Iranian shape TV reported the helicopter have been discovered and quoted an respectable claiming a passenger and staff member have been contacted. Then again, Iran’s Crimson Crescent denied the experiences.
Environment media has but to file on casualties or ascertain the whereabouts or situation of the president – however steered Iranians to wish for the president.
Iran’s ideally suited chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who holds terminating energy with a last say on overseas coverage and Iran’s nuclear programme, wanted to reassure Iranians and steered them to wish for the president’s fitness.
“We hope that Almighty God will return the president and his companions to the nation, everyone should pray for their health. The people of Iran should not be worried, there will be no disruption in the work of the country,” Mr Khamenei stated.
In Tehran, Iranian women and men have been pictured publicly praying for Mr Raisi, with some kneeling ill and a few retaining their fingers to the sky.
In the meantime, many nations have introduced their aid to Iran, together with allies similar to Russia, neighbours similar to Turkey, Azerbaijan and Armenia, and the EU.
Russia stated it used to be able to increase “all necessary help” within the seek for the lacking helicopter and it was hoping the president used to be nonetheless alive.
The EU additionally stated it had supplied a satellite tv for pc mapping carrier to Iran based on a request via Tehran for support.
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan added he used to be “deeply saddened” via the strike and used to be able to serve aid to Iran.
“I convey my best wishes to our neighbour, friend and brother Iranian people and government, and I hope to receive good news from Mr Raisi and his delegation as soon as possible,” Mr Erdogan stated.
President Raisi is a hardliner who previously led the rustic’s judiciary. He’s considered as a protégé of Mr Khamenei and a few analysts have instructed he may just substitute the 85-year-old chief upcoming his loss of life or leaving from the position.
President Raisi gained Iran’s 2021 presidential election, a vote that noticed the bottom turnout within the Islamic Republic’s historical past.
He’s sanctioned via america partly over his involvement within the pile execution of 1000’s of political prisoners in 1988 on the finish of the bloody Iran-Iraq warfare.
Iran now enriches uranium at just about weapons-grade degree and hampers world inspections. The rustic has armed Russia in its warfare on Ukraine, and introduced a large drone-and-missile assault on Israel amid its warfare in opposition to Hamas within the Gaza Strip.
It additionally has persisted arming proxy teams within the Heart East, like Yemen’s Houthi rebels and Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
