Rescuers have located the helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the country’s foreign minister, and other officials that had crashed in the mountainous northwest region of Iran. Unfortunately, “no sign of life” was detected at the crash site, as reported by state media.
The helicopter was spotted by rescuers at a distance of approximately 2 kilometers as the sun rose on Monday. The head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society, Pir Hossein Kolivand, confirmed the discovery but did not provide further details. The officials had been missing for over 12 hours at that point.
The incident occurred near Jolfa, a city on the border with Azerbaijan, or possibly near the village of Uzi, according to conflicting reports from state TV. The passengers on board included Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, the governor of East Azerbaijan province, and other officials and bodyguards.
Footage released by the IRNA showed the crash site in a steep valley within a green mountain range. Soldiers speaking in the local Azeri language confirmed the discovery of the helicopter. State TV later reported that there was “no sign of life from people on board.”
The crash of the helicopter carrying high-ranking Iranian officials is expected to have significant repercussions across the Middle East, given Iran’s involvement in supporting armed groups in various countries. This incident comes at a time of heightened tensions in the region, with recent military confrontations between Iran and its adversaries.