East Azerbaijan Province, Iran – Hopes are fading that Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister have survived a devastating helicopter crash in the mountainous region of East Azerbaijan province, an Iranian official confirmed on Monday. The wreckage of the helicopter was located in icy weather conditions, but no signs of life have been detected.
“President Raisi’s helicopter was completely burned in the crash. Unfortunately, all passengers are feared dead,” an official told Reuters.
Rescue teams battled blizzards and difficult terrain through the night to reach the crash site. In the early hours of Monday, they found the wreckage. “We can see the wreckage and the situation does not look good,” said Pirhossein Kolivand, head of Iran’s Red Crescent, on state TV. “With the discovery of the crash site, no signs of life have been detected among the helicopter’s passengers.”
President Raisi, 63, who took office in 2021, has been known for tightening morality laws, overseeing a severe crackdown on anti-government protests, and pushing hard in nuclear negotiations with world powers.
Earlier reports by Anadolu news agency on X indicated that a Turkish drone had identified a source of heat, suspected to be the helicopter’s wreckage, and shared the coordinates with Iranian authorities. State news agency IRNA confirmed that Raisi was flying in a US-made Bell 212 helicopter.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei sought to reassure the nation, stating there would be no disruption to state affairs. The Iranian army’s chief of staff ordered all military resources to be deployed in the search and rescue operations.
In an unusual move, national broadcaster IRIB halted regular programming to air prayers for Raisi across the country. Rescue teams, visible on state TV wearing bright jackets and head torches, were seen huddled around a GPS device while searching the dark, snow-covered mountainside.
“We are thoroughly searching every inch of the general area of the crash,” state media quoted a regional army commander. “The area has very cold, rainy, and foggy weather conditions. The rain is gradually turning into snow.”
Akinci UAV identifies source of heat suspected to be wreckage of helicopter carrying Iranian President Raisi and shares its coordinates with Iranian authorities pic.twitter.com/0tZtMc5oaP
— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) May 20, 2024
Several countries expressed concern and offered assistance, including the United States, China, and the European Union, which offered emergency satellite mapping technology. US President Joe Biden has been briefed on the situation, and China expressed deep concern.
The crash occurs amid rising dissent within Iran over various political, social, and economic crises, as well as international pressure over its disputed nuclear program and military ties with Russia amid the Ukraine conflict. Since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, regional tensions have escalated.
Raisi, considered a potential successor to the 85-year-old Supreme Leader Khamenei, has been seen as a strong contender for leadership due to Khamenei’s endorsement of his policies. Raisi’s presidency marked a shift to hardliner control after the more moderate administration of Hassan Rouhani.
On Sunday, Raisi had visited the Azerbaijani border to inaugurate the Qiz-Qalasi Dam, a joint project. Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, who had bid a “friendly farewell” to Raisi earlier that day, has offered assistance in the rescue efforts.