Iranian state tv stated there have been “no indicators of life” on the crash website of the helicopter carrying President Ibrahim Raisi that crashed within the nation’s northwest.
Iranian emergency companies earlier positioned the crash website and reported seeing particles, state media reported. The placement is close to the village of Tawil in northwestern Iran.
Dense fog within the area has difficult the search, state media reported. Iran’s supreme chief, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, known as on folks to wish for Raisi’s well being and stated there can be “no disruption within the nation’s affairs” on account of the incident, in line with a press release aired on state tv.
Raisi, an ultraconservative cleric in his 60s who gained Iran’s 2021 presidential election, was thought of the favourite to ultimately succeed supreme chief Khamenei.
The incident comes amid unrest within the Center East over the warfare in Gaza between Israel and Iran-backed Hamas, a terrorist group designated by america and the European Union. It introduced Iran and Israel nearer to full-scale battle and led to different Tehran-backed teams, together with the Houthis in Yemen and Shiite militias in Iraq, attacking US bases and business ships within the Pink Sea.
Raisi’s air fleet consisted of three helicopters carrying high-ranking officers, together with Overseas Minister Hossein Amirabdalakhian, the semi-official Tasnim information company reported. It’s believed that Amirabdalakhian was on board Raisi’s aircraft at the moment.
The US is carefully monitoring studies of the incident, a State Division spokesman stated with out additional remark. Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer stated Sunday that intelligence companies informed him there was no proof of foul play, NBC reported.
“Extraordinarily complicated” search
After practically 10 hours, the search was “extraordinarily tough” as a result of darkness, heavy fog and rain, the top of Iran’s emergency medical companies, Pirhossein Kulivand, informed state tv. Earlier, Iran’s Inside Minister Ahmad Vahidi stated the seek for the presidential helicopter was more likely to take time as a result of opposed circumstances.
Turkey’s state catastrophe company AFAD stated Iran had requested a search and rescue helicopter with evening imaginative and prescient capabilities. About 32 rescuers and researchers, in addition to six autos, have additionally been despatched to Iran, AFAD stated in a press release on X.
Turkey’s Protection Ministry stated it despatched the Akinci drone in response to Iran’s request. He additionally stated the Cougar helicopter stays on standby and could be deployed relying on climate circumstances.
The European Union has activated its fast response mapping service following a request for assist from Iran, the bloc’s disaster administration commissioner Janez Lenarcic stated in a press release on X.
Iranian tv confirmed dwell footage of dozens of ambulances amid heavy rain and fog. A reporter near the rescue groups talked about the challenges of reaching the crash website, citing impassable roads as a result of mud and the remoteness of the world.
The published additionally confirmed pilgrims praying for Raisi at a shrine in Mashhad, the northeastern metropolis the place Raisi was born.
Amongst others, the governor of East Azerbaijan province and a consultant of the Supreme Ruler within the metropolis of Tabriz are believed to have been on board Raisi’s helicopter, in line with Iranian media.
Each Raisi and Amirabdallahian presided over Iran’s restoration of diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia by way of a Chinese language-brokered deal introduced in March 2023. However it was a time when there was additionally an deadlock in talks to revive Iran’s nuclear cope with world powers and elevate financial sanctions.
Earlier on Sunday, Raisi met together with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev for the ceremonial opening of a collectively constructed dam on the border between the 2 nations. The incident occurred when Raisi was coming back from the Iranian province of East Azerbaijan.
Raisi’s ascension to the presidency follows eight years beneath the comparatively average Hassan Rouhani, who was central to the nuclear deal that former President Donald Trump pulled the US out of in 2018.
The U.S. withdrawal from the deal has strengthened Iran’s hardliners, who’ve at all times been essential of the deal. In 2019, the Trump administration imposed sanctions on Raisi, citing his function within the lethal crackdown on protesters accused of vote fraud a decade earlier.
Human rights activists additionally accuse him of inciting mass executions of 1000’s of political dissidents within the late Eighties. In 2018, London-based Amnesty Worldwide stated he headed a “loss of life panel” and known as on the United Nations to research his crimes in opposition to humanity.
Raisi’s first vice chairman is Mohammad Mohbar, who has represented Iran on many latest overseas journeys and who, like many senior Iranian officers, is beneath US sanctions.
