Photo Credit: AP
A tragic incident unfolded on Sunday when a helicopter transporting Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, crashed in a mountainous region of East Azerbaijan Province. The crash occurred after the officials' visit to the country's northwest.
The ill-fated helicopter went down in the Varzaqan region, situated between the villages of Ozi and Pir Davood. The cause of the crash was attributed to adverse weather conditions, including heavy fog. Alongside President Raisi and Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian, several other dignitaries were aboard the aircraft.
Despite the challenging conditions, 20 rescue teams and drones were dispatched to the crash site. However, the mountainous and forested terrain, coupled with the dense fog, hindered their progress. Authorities established medical facilities at the site to aid in rescue operations.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say in the Shiite theocracy, quickly named a little-known vice president as caretaker and insisted the government was in control, but the deaths mark yet another blow to a country beset by pressures both at home and abroad.
Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi: Stated that one of the helicopters in the convoy made a hard landing due to the foggy weather. Communication with the passengers on the crashed helicopter was established, but further details were not immediately available.
Iran has offered no cause for the crash nor suggested sabotage brought down the helicopter, which fell in mountainous terrain in a sudden, intense fog.
In Tehran, Iran’s capital, businesses were open and children attended school Monday. However, there was a noticeable presence of both uniformed and plainclothes security forces.
