Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi was inaugurating a joint dam project with Azerbaijan on their shared border hours before his helicopter made a rough landing on the return trip this Sunday (19).
The helicopter carrying Raisi and his foreign minister crashed while crossing mountainous terrain in heavy fog on their way back from a visit to the border with Azerbaijan, an Iranian official told Reuters.
The official said the lives of Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian were “at risk following the helicopter crash.”
Bad weather complicated rescue efforts, state news agency IRNA reported.
State TV interrupted all its regular programming to show prayers held for Raisi across the country and live coverage of rescuers searching the mountainous area in heavy fog.
The 63-year-old was elected president on his second attempt in 2021 and since taking office has ordered a tightening of moral laws, overseen a crackdown on anti-government protests and pushed hard in nuclear negotiations with world powers.
In Iran's dual political system, it is the supreme leader, not the president, who has the final say on all major policies.
But many see Raisi as a strong candidate to succeed his 85-year-old mentor, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who strongly supported Raisi's main policies.
Interior Minister Ahmed Vahidi told state TV only that one of the helicopters in a group of three had crashed and that authorities were awaiting further details.
Raisi was on the border with Azerbaijan to inaugurate the Qiz-Qalaisi dam, a joint project.
Source: CNN Brasil
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