Iran: President Raisi's helicopter suffers 'hard landing'

A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi made a "hard landing" on Sunday, said Ahmad Vahidi, Iran's interior minister.

"The esteemed president and company were on their way back aboard some helicopters and one of the helicopters was forced to make a hard landing due to the bad weather and fog," the minister said in comments aired on state TV.

The Iranian Cabinet convened for an emergency meeting chaired by Mohammad Mokhber, the first vice president, on Sunday, state news agency IRNA reported. 

He initiated further measures for the rescue operation. According to protocol, Mockber would become president in the event of Raisi's death.

What do we know about the 'hard landing'?

Turkish authorities released what they said was drone footage of what appeared to be a fire in the wilderness that they "suspected to be wreckage of helicopter."

The incident took place near the city of Jolfa in Iran's northwestern province of East Azerbaijan, Vahidi added, following earlier reports on state media.

Raisi's convoy included three helicopters, and the other two had "reached their destination safely," according to Tasnim news agency.

Jolfa is located about 600 kilometers (375 miles) northwest of the Iranian capital, Tehran, on the border with Azerbaijan.

What do we know about the passengers?

The helicopter was carrying Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, East Azerbaijan Governor Malek Rahmati and several other passengers, state media reported.

According to the state news agency IRNA, rescue and relief teams were dispatched to the area and search operations were ongoing. However, foggy weather and the inaccessibility of the mountainous area have hampered the search.

The semi-official Fars news agency called on Iranians to pray for Raisi following the reports. 

Later in the day, Reuters news agency cited an unnamed Iranian official as saying that the lives of Raisi and Amirabdollahian were "at risk following the helicopter crash."

"We are still hopeful but information coming from the crash site is very concerning," the official was quoted as saying on condition of anonymity.

Raisi was in Azerbaijan early Sunday to inaugurate a dam with the neighboring country's president, Ilham Aliyev. The dam is the third built by the two nations on the Aras River.

Who is Ebrahim Raisi?

Ebrahim Raisi is a hard-liner who previously headed the country's judiciary. He is seen as close to Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and some analysts have suggested he could replace the 85-year-old leader upon his death or resignation. 

Raisi came to power in Iran's 2021 presidential election. A hardline oversight body disqualified conservative and moderate rivals and voter turnout was just 49% — the lowest in the Islamic Republic's history. 

Under Raisi, Iran has armed Russia in its war against Ukraine and launched a massive drone and rocket attack on Israel in the midst of its war against Hamas in Gaza. It has also continued to arm proxy groups in the Middle East, such as Yemen's Houthi rebels and Lebanon's Hezbollah.

In addition, Iran is now enriching uranium to near weapons-grade levels and obstructing international inspections. 

EU activates satellite mapping service

The international community is keeping a close eye on the search for the helicopter that was carrying the Iranian president.

"Together with EU member states and partners, we are monitoring the situation closely," European Council President Charles Michel said online.

The European Commission activated its satellite mapping service to aid search efforts after Raisi's helicopter crashed, following a request for assistance from Iran, the EU's Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic said.

The US State Department was also closely watching reports on the helicopter carrying Raisi and his foreign minister, a spokesperson said in a statement.

Russia sends rescue team to Iran

Russia said Monday it was sending a rescue team to Iran to help with search operations.  

"At the request of the Iranian side, rescuers from the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations will assist in the search and rescue operation," a statement read. The team will head to the northwest city of Tabriz, it added.

Additionally, Azeri President Ilham Aliyev said he was profoundly troubled by news of the unscheduled landing after bidding a friendly farewell to Ebrahim Raisi earlier in the day. 

"As a neighbor, friend, and brotherly country, the Republic of Azerbaijan stands ready to offer any assistance needed," he said. 

Iraq, Turkey, Saudi Arabia express concern and offer support

Meanwhile, Iraq offered neighboring Iran help with search and rescue efforts.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani "instructed the Interior Ministry, the Iraqi Red Crescent and other relevant authorities to offer the Islamic Republic of Iran the available resources to aid in the search for the Iranian president's aircraft," government spokesman Bassem al-Awadi said in a statement.

Another neighbor, Turkey, said it was following developments in the Iranian search with sadness and hoped for the president's well-being. According to the Turkish Foreign Ministry, measures have been taken to provide all kinds of support to the search and rescue efforts.

Regional rival Saudi Arabia also expressed its support for Iran and said it was ready to provide any assistance required.

rm, jsi,dh/msh (AP, AFP, Reuters)