New Delhi: Iran on Monday officially announced the demise of President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian after a helicopter crash.
A helicopter carrying the Iranian President and his foreign minister crashed on Sunday while navigating mountainous terrain in heavy fog. Rescuers are currently struggling to reach the crash site, located in Iran’s northwest near the border with Azerbaijan.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei sought to reassure the nation, stating that there would be no disruption to state affairs despite the incident. Khamenei, who holds ultimate power over Iran’s foreign policy and nuclear program, emphasized that all necessary measures were being taken.
Bad weather, cited as the cause of the crash, is also complicating rescue efforts. The state news agency IRNA confirmed that President Raisi was flying in a U.S.-made Bell 212 helicopter.
In response to the crash, the chief of staff of Iran’s army has ordered all available resources, including those of the elite Revolutionary Guards, to be deployed for search and rescue operations.
The national broadcaster interrupted its regular programming to show prayers being held for Raisi across the country. In the early hours of Monday, state media displayed footage of a rescue team navigating a snowy mountainside. The team, equipped with bright jackets and head torches, huddled around a GPS device as they conducted their search in the pitch-black conditions.
The incident has sparked a nationwide outpouring of concern and prayers, highlighting the precarious nature of the current situation and the challenges faced by the rescue teams.
