Ebrahim Raisi was elected Iranian president on the second try in 2021. (File)
Dubai:
A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his international minister crashed on Sunday because it was crossing mountain terrain in heavy fog, an Iranian official instructed Reuters, and rescuers had been struggling to achieve the location of the incident.
The official mentioned the lives of Raisi and International Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian had been “in danger following the helicopter crash”, which occurred on the best way again from a go to to the border with Azerbaijan in Iran’s northwest.
“We’re nonetheless hopeful however info coming from the crash web site could be very regarding,” the official instructed Reuters, talking on situation of anonymity.
State TV quoted an official as saying that at the very least one passenger and one crew member had been involved with rescuers. It additionally mentioned the helicopter had been discovered, although Iran’s Purple Crescent denied this report.
Iranian Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who holds final energy with a remaining say on international coverage and Iran’s nuclear programme, sought to reassure Iranians, saying there can be no disruption to state affairs.
Iranian state media mentioned unhealthy climate induced the crash and was complicating rescue efforts. State information company IRNA mentioned Raisi was flying in a US-made Bell 212 helicopter.
The chief of workers of Iran’s military ordered all of the assets of the military and the elite Revolutionary Guard to be put to make use of in search and rescue operations.
Earlier, the nationwide broadcaster had stopped all common programming to indicate prayers being held for Raisi throughout the nation.
Within the early hours of Monday, it confirmed a rescue staff, carrying vivid jackets and head torches, huddled round a GPS system as they searched a pitch-black mountainside on foot amid a snowy blizzard.
“We’re totally looking each inch of the final space of the crash,” state media quoted a regional military commander as saying. “The world has very chilly, wet, and foggy climate situations. The rain is progressively turning into snow.”
Neighbouring nations expressed concern and provided help in any rescue. The White Home mentioned US President Joe Biden had been briefed on studies concerning the crash. Turkey mentioned it had assigned a drone, a helicopter, autos and a rescue staff after a request by Iranian authorities. The European Union provided emergency satellite tv for pc mapping expertise to assist Iran with the search.
HARDLINER, POSSIBLE SUCCESSOR TO KHAMENEI
The crash comes at a time of rising dissent inside Iran over an array of political, social and financial crises. Iran’s clerical rulers face worldwide stress over Tehran’s disputed nuclear programme and its deepening army ties with Russia throughout the conflict in Ukraine.
Since Iran’s ally Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, frightening Israel’s assault on Gaza, conflagrations involving Iran-aligned teams have erupted all through the Center East.
Raisi, 63, was elected president in 2021, and since taking workplace has ordered a tightening of morality legal guidelines, overseen a bloody crackdown on anti-government protests and pushed onerous in nuclear talks with world powers.
In Iran’s twin political system, break up between the clerical institution and the federal government, it’s Raisi’s 85-year-old mentor Khamenei, supreme chief since 1989, who holds decision-making energy on all main insurance policies.
For years many have seen Raisi as a powerful contender to succeed Khamenei, who has endorsed Raisi’s major insurance policies.
Raisi’s victory in a intently managed election in 2021 introduced all branches of energy underneath the management of hardliners, after eight years when the presidency had been held by pragmatist Hassan Rouhani and a nuclear deal negotiated with Washington.
Nevertheless, Raisi’s standing could have been dented by widespread protests in opposition to clerical rule and a failure to show round Iran’s financial system, hamstrung by Western sanctions.
Raisi had been on the Azerbaijani border on Sunday to inaugurate the Qiz-Qalasi Dam, a joint challenge. Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, who mentioned he had bid a “pleasant farewell” to Raisi earlier within the day, provided help within the rescue.
(Apart from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is printed from a syndicated feed.)