Operation in the rain

Iran’s president involved in helicopter accident?

A rescue operation is currently underway and the Iranian president and a minister are said to be in mortal danger.(Bild: AFP)

According to an insider, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's life is in danger after a helicopter crash. This also applies to Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, the Reuters news agency learned on Sunday from an insider who did not wish to be named. "We still have hope, but the information coming from the crash site is very worrying." Meanwhile, bad weather hampered the search for the wreckage of the helicopter.

"It's dark and it has started to rain," a reporter reported on state television on Sunday. Rescue teams had reached the area of the crash site. Mud is making the search more difficult. The mountainous region is also covered in fog. The army leadership ordered all military and Revolutionary Guards resources to be used for the search.

Contact with the crew?
According to media reports, it is expected that the crash site will be reached in the course of Sunday evening. In an interview on state television, the Vice President for Executive Affairs, Mohsen Mansuri, said that contact had already been made with the crew on several occasions. The politician did not provide any further details on Sunday evening.

"No interruption of government business"
According to a report by the IRNA news agency, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called on the population not to be worried or anxious. "There will be no interruption of government business," assured the spiritual leader of the Islamic Republic. The affairs of state would not be affected by the incident. Khamenei went on to say that he was praying for Raisi's safety.

A rescue operation is currently underway and the Iranian president and a minister are said to be in mortal danger.(Bild: AFP)

The US State Department announced that it was following the reports closely. US President Joe Biden has been informed of the events.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi had previously met with his counterpart from Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, in the border region between the two countries. The two statesmen had inaugurated a dam on the Aras River. Afterwards, Raisi flew back in foggy weather. His helicopter is believed to have crash-landed.

Iranian state television showed images of the rescue operation.(Bild: AFP)

Raisi inaugurated a dam with his counterpart from Azerbaijan before the accident is said to have occurred.(Bild: AFP)

Contradictory reports, emergency meeting
On Sunday evening, state TV reported that the president's plane had been found. Immediately afterwards, however, television reported that the Red Crescent was rejecting reports that the wreckage had been found. Details of the information were not initially reported. In addition to Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian was also on board the helicopter.

Late on Sunday evening, Iran's cabinet convened for an emergency meeting. The first vice president, Mohammed Mochber, chaired the meeting, as reported by the state news agency IRNA. He initiated further measures for the rescue operation. According to protocol, Mochber would be the head of government in the event of Raisi's death.

This video is to show the rescue operation on state television:

Foreign minister also on board
The Iranian state news agency Irna subsequently reported that Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian were among the passengers in the helicopter. Both are apparently in mortal danger. 

Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian(Bild: AFP )

Hardliner and Khamenei successor
Raisi was elected president in 2021 at the second attempt. The 63-year-old is considered a hardliner. He ordered the bloody suppression of nationwide protests following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody a year and a half ago. The so-called morality police had arrested her for allegedly wearing her headscarf incorrectly. He also stands for a tough stance in the international negotiations on the Islamic Republic's controversial nuclear program.

Many observers see Raisi as a promising candidate to succeed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran's spiritual leader has explicitly backed Raisi's government policy. 63-year-old Raisi has been President of the Islamic Republic of Iran since summer 2021.