Iranian state television reported on Sunday that a helicopter participating in the convoy of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, which consisted of three helicopters, experienced an accident. Iranian media clarified that there were no casualties in the emergency landing of President Ebrahim Raisi in East Azerbaijan. Informed sources indicated to the IRNA agency that a search and rescue team had arrived at the site of the Iranian president's helicopter accident in the Varzqan area.
It was noted that 16 rescue teams and drones were dispatched to the area, but due to the inability to access the site because of the mountainous and forested terrain, as well as poor weather conditions, particularly dense fog, the search and rescue operation would take time. Additionally, the Iranian Red Crescent Relief and Rescue Organization confirmed that drones had been sent to the site of the president's helicopter accident.
Babak Mahmoudi stated in an interview with the Tasnim International News Agency that, "due to adverse weather conditions, no new information is currently available and search operations are ongoing." Local residents mentioned that the condition of the helicopter remains unknown due to the foggy weather in the region.
Ministers of Energy and Roads, Mehrabian and Behrooz, who were on the other two helicopters, reached their destination safely. The IRNA agency detailed that the helicopter involved in the incident was carrying Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the governor of East Azerbaijan, Malek Rahmati, Friday Prayer Imam of Tabriz, Ayatollah Al-Hashimi, and some other officials. The crashed helicopter was one of three carrying the Iranian president and his accompanying delegation.
A ceremony was held for the inauguration of the "Qiz Qalasi" dam joint project between Iran and Azerbaijan on the Aras River, attended by Ebrahim Raisi and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi confirmed to state television that the helicopter in President Ebrahim Raisi's convoy encountered difficulties during landing, adding that adverse weather conditions were hindering rescue teams. In turn, the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, mentioned that "as of this hour, there is no reliable news regarding the incident concerning the helicopter carrying Raisi and Abdollahian."
