- Officials now believe that Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian have been killed in a helicopter crash in the country’s East Azerbaijan province.
- Rescuers found the crash site after an hours-long search in extreme weather conditions.
- Iran’s Vice President will be sworn-in and new elections will be held within 50 days.
- Numerous Arab countries across the Middle East express solidarity with Iran.
IMAGE: Rescue vehicles are seen following a crash of a helicopter carrying Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi, in Varzaqan, East Azerbaijan Province (Credit: Azin Haghighi/Moj News Agency/West Asia News Agency/Reuters)
The helicopter carrying Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi, 63, and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, 60, is reported to have crashed with no survivors, following extreme weather problems including heavy fog upon returning from a state ceremony held at the Qiz Q Iran-Azerbaijan border,
Iranian officials confirmed the crash on late Sunday evening, although no official announcement of the deaths of the passengers has been made so far.
An official statement is due to be released any moment from the government in Tehran.
Red Crescent search and rescue have released drone footage of the remote mountain crash site which has been broadcast by FARS News Agency, described as steep, wooded terrain located in northern Iran, with little remaining of the helicopter beyond a blue and white tail.
According to a statement by Pir-Hossein Kolivand, head of the Iranian Red Crescent, there are ‘no signs of life’ among the passengers traveling on board the downed craft.
IRGC-run media outlet Sepah has also reported that also onboard were three helicopter crew members, Raisi’s head of security and bodyguard, and the governor of Iran’s Eastern Azerbaijan province.
Another picture showing what’s left of president Raisi’s helicopter after it crashed into the mountain. https://t.co/wRHbXrjqOY pic.twitter.com/TwJ5ODXsky
— Ali Hashem علي هاشم (@alihashem_tv) May 20, 2024
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