State media reports Iranian president’s helicopter involved in ‘hard landing’

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi was involved in a helicopter crash on Sunday, as reported by Iranian state media. The incident, described as a “hard landing,” occurred in a misty, rural forest near the city of Jolfa, on the border with Azerbaijan. Raisi was traveling with several officials, including Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, the governor of East Azerbaijan province, and bodyguards.

The crash comes at a sensitive time for Iran, following a recent drone and missile attack on Israel and ongoing domestic unrest over economic issues and women’s rights. The situation has been further complicated by the Israel-Hamas conflict in the wider Middle East.

Rescue efforts were hampered by poor weather conditions, including heavy rain, fog, and wind. Despite the challenges, rescue teams were dispatched to the area to assess the situation and provide assistance. State TV aired images of SUVs racing through the wooded area in an attempt to reach the crash site.

Raisi, a hard-liner and former judiciary leader, was in the region to inaugurate a dam with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev. The visit marked a rare moment of cooperation between the two nations, despite past tensions over various issues.

As details of the crash remained unclear, hard-liners in Iran urged the public to pray for Raisi’s well-being. The incident has raised concerns about the future leadership of the country, as Raisi is seen as a potential successor to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.