A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi had to make an emergency landing on Sunday.
The incident happened in East Azerbaijan province, near the border with Azerbaijan, according to Iranian state TV.
The helicopter was traveling through a misty, rural forest when it experienced difficulties. Although rescue teams are on their way, bad weather, including heavy rain and fog, is slowing their efforts.
President Raisi was with Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, the province’s governor, and other officials. Their condition is not yet known, while State TV has urged the public to pray for them.
Also, Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi said that the bad weather caused the helicopter to make a hard landing.
He added that the area is rugged and difficult to reach. “Various rescue teams are on their way to the region but because of the poor weather and fogginess it might take time for them to reach the helicopter,” Vahidi stated.
Raisi had been visiting the region to open a new dam with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev. This visit happened despite recent tensions between Iran and Azerbaijan.
Iran’s helicopters are old, and international sanctions make it hard to get parts. Images showed Raisi’s helicopter as a Bell 412, which is commonly used in Iran.
Raisi, 63, has been Iran’s president since 2021 and is a close ally of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He has faced international criticism and sanctions, especially from the U.S.
Under Raisi, Iran has increased its uranium enrichment and supported military actions in the Middle East, including providing drones to Russia and launching attacks on Israel.
The country has also seen many protests against its government, especially regarding women’s rights and economic issues.
The U.S. State Department is monitoring the situation but has not made further comments.
