A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister crashed on Sunday.
The helicopter was crossing mountain terrain in heavy fog, an Iranian official told Reuters, and rescuers were struggling to reach the site of the incident.
The official said the lives of Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian were “at risk following the helicopter crash”, which happened on the way back from a visit to the border with Azerbaijan in Iran’s northwest.
The Iranian armed forces have been in the area of the crash since the early hours of Sunday, Chief of Staff of Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Bagheri said. Twenty rescue teams and drones were sent to the area where the helicopter came down.
UPDATE 17:30 UTC
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has just made a statement following reports President Ebrahim Raisi was involved in a helicopter crash. He says the nation “should pray” for Raisi’s health, state broadcaster IRIB reports.
UPDATE
Monday, Iran state TV announces Raisi’s death. The wreckage was found by a Turkish drone.
