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Helicopter bring Iranian President Raisi crashes, search under method

A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister crashed on Sunday as it was crossing mountain terrain in heavy fog, an Iranian authorities told , and rescuers were struggling to reach the website of the incident.

The official stated the lives of Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian were at danger following the helicopter crash, which occurred en route back from a visit to the border with Azerbaijan in Iran's northwest.

We are still enthusiastic however information coming from the crash site is very concerning, the authorities informed , speaking on condition of anonymity.

State TV estimated an authorities as stating a minimum of one passenger and one crew member had actually been in contact with rescuers.

A Turkish drone determined a source of heat presumed to be the helicopter's wreckage and had shared the collaborates of the possible crash website with Iranian authorities, Anadolu news company said on X.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who holds supreme power with a final say on diplomacy and Iran's. nuclear programme, looked for to assure Iranians, stating there. would be no disturbance to state affairs.

Iranian state media said bad weather condition caused the crash and. was complicating rescue efforts. State news agency IRNA stated. Raisi was flying in a U.S.-made Bell 212 helicopter.

The chief of personnel of Iran's army ordered all resources of. the army and the elite Revolutionary Guards to be put to use in. search and rescue operations.

Previously, the nationwide broadcaster had stopped all routine. programming to show prayers being held for Raisi throughout the. country.

In the early hours of Monday, it revealed a rescue team,. wearing intense jackets and head torches, gathered around a GPS. device as they browsed a pitch-black mountainside on foot amid. a snowy blizzard.

We are completely searching every inch of the basic area. of the crash, state media quoted a local army commander as. stating. The location has really cold, rainy, and foggy weather condition. conditions. The rain is slowly becoming snow.

Neighbouring countries expressed issue and offered. help in any rescue. The White House said U.S. President. Joe Biden had actually been informed on reports about the crash. Turkey. said it had assigned a drone, a helicopter, vehicles and a. rescue team after a demand by Iranian authorities. The European. Union provided emergency situation satellite mapping innovation.

HARDLINER, POSSIBLE FOLLOWER TO KHAMENEI

The crash comes at a time of growing dissent within Iran. over a selection of political, social and recessions. Iran's. clerical rulers deal with global pressure over Tehran's. contested nuclear programme and its deepening military ties with. Russia throughout the war in Ukraine.

Since Iran's ally Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, provoking. Israel's assault on Gaza, conflagrations including Iran-aligned. groups have actually emerged throughout the Middle East.

Raisi, 63, was elected president in 2021, and because taking. workplace has actually bought a tightening up of morality laws, overseen a. bloody crackdown on anti-government protests and pushed hard in. nuclear talks with world powers.

In Iran's dual political system, split in between the clerical. facility and the federal government, it is Raisi's 85-year-old. coach Khamenei, supreme leader given that 1989, who holds. decision-making power on all significant policies.

For years numerous have seen Raisi as a strong competitor to. prosper Khamenei, who has endorsed Raisi's main policies. Raisi's triumph in a carefully managed election in 2021 brought. all branches of power under the control of hardliners, after. 8 years when the presidency had been held by pragmatist. Hassan Rouhani and a nuclear offer negotiated with powers. including Washington.

However, Raisi's standing may have been dented by prevalent. demonstrations versus clerical guideline and a failure to reverse. Iran's economy, hamstrung by Western sanctions.

Raisi had been at the Azerbaijani verge on Sunday to. inaugurate the Qiz-Qalasi Dam, a joint project. Azerbaijan's. President Ilham Aliyev, who stated he had actually bid a friendly. goodbye to Raisi earlier in the day, provided support in the. rescue.

(source: Reuters)