Iran’s Presidential Helicopter Vanishes: An In-Depth Look

iexclusivenews – In a concerning turn of events, a helicopter ferrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi remains unaccounted for, hours following a reported crash.

State television has relayed preliminary, yet unverified, information suggesting an incident occurred in the mountainous East Azerbaijan province.

A Convoy in Distress

The missing aircraft was part of a three-helicopter convoy, with President Raisi aboard, that encountered trouble on Sunday.

State broadcasters disclosed that the helicopter experienced a severe ‘hard landing’ near Jolfa—a locale on the cusp of the Azerbaijani border, approximately 600 kilometers northwest of Tehran.

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Challenging Rescue Operations Amidst Adverse Weather

Rescue operations are actively in progress, though the teams face formidable obstacles due to the inclement weather.

Dense fog and harsh conditions are significantly impeding efforts to locate the crash site.

Interior Minister Ahmed Vahidi has indicated that additional information is forthcoming, as the nation awaits updates on this distressing occurrence.

President Raisi’s Diplomatic Engagements Prior to the Incident

Earlier that day, the 63-year-old president was engaged in diplomatic activities in Azerbaijan, alongside President Ilham Aliyev.

The pair presided over the inauguration of a dam on the Aras River—the third collaborative infrastructure project between the two nations.

The state-run IRNA news agency has reported that among the passengers were Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and the governor of Iran’s East Azerbaijan province, alongside other officials.

The status of these individuals, including President Raisi, remains uncertain at this juncture.