Iranian President's Helicopter Crashes In Mountainous Terrain, Official Says Leader's Life 'At Risk'

A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian crashed on Sunday.

What Happened: The helicopter crashed while navigating through mountainous terrain in heavy fog. The aircraft was on its way back from a visit to the border with Azerbaijan, reported Reuters. 

Reuters quoted officials saying that the lives of Raisi and Amirabdollahian are reportedly "at risk following the helicopter crash."

"We are still hopeful but information coming from the crash site is very concerning," Reuters quoted the official, speaking anonymously.

Adverse weather conditions are said to be hampering rescue operations. State television has paused its regular broadcasts to air prayers for Raisi across the nation and live coverage of rescue teams searching the mountainous crash site on foot in the thick fog, added the outlet. 

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Interior Minister Ahmed Vahidi confirmed to state television that one of the three helicopters in the convoy had a hard landing, with more details to follow. Raisi was returning from the Azerbaijani border, where he had inaugurated the Qiz-Qalaisi Dam, a joint project.

Why It Matters: Given the high-profile nature of the passengers on board, the incident has caused a stir in the international community.

The potential implications of this accident could be far-reaching, affecting Iran's internal affairs and diplomatic relations.

The inauguration of the Qiz-Qalaisi Dam, a joint project with Azerbaijan, signifies the importance of the visit, and the incident could potentially impact future collaborations.

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Photo: Shutterstock

This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.