Raisi’s Copter Crashes, Imam Khamenei Assures: There will Be No Disruption to the Work of the Country

By Staff, Agencies

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution His Eminence Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei has expressed his concern and sympathies to the Iranian nation after the helicopter carrying President Ebrahim Raisi experienced a hard landing in a mountainous region in northwestern Iran.

“We hope that the Almighty God returns the respected and esteemed President and his companions to the embrace of the nation,” Imam Khamenei said on Sunday.

The Leader urged all Iranians to pray for the health and safety of President Raisi and other public servants on board the helicopter.

"The Iranian nation should not be worried or anxious, there will be no disruption to the work of the country," he said.

The helicopter was transporting Iran’s President Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein AmirAbdollahian and several other officials when it encountered difficulties and was forced to make a "hard landing."

The incident happened at Dizmar forest, between the cities of Varzaqan and Jolfa. Raisi was returning from a ceremony to inaugurate a dam on the Aras River with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev.

An extensive search and rescue operation is underway to locate the site of the incident. Harsh weather conditions and the region's rugged terrain are hampering the rescue efforts.

One hour after the incident, rescue teams reached the area and started search operations.

The Red Crescent Society said that 65 emergency relief teams from six provinces of Tehran, Alborz, Ardabil, Zanjan, East Azarbaijan, and West Azerbaijan, have been deployed to the site of the incident and are currently searching the area.

Fifteen Red Crescent K-9 teams [sniffer dogs] along with two Red Crescent drones are also searching the area for any trace of the helicopter carrying the Iranian President.

Due to the adverse weather conditions and severe fog in the area, the Red Crescent's rescue helicopters are currently unable to fly, and the teams are conducting a ground search of the area, he added.