Iran helicopter crash latest: Rescue teams search for Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi - reports - BBC News
Provided information from BBC Persian along with the Chief International Correspondent Lyse Doucet's inputs.
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Rewritten: The blog portion has been revised by Aoife Walsh.
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Will Raisi Succeed Khamenei? Some Think So
According to numerous Iranians, Ebrahim Raisi became the President in 2021 because top candidates were disqualified. He mainly fulfilled the Supreme Leader's desires. Hardliners in Iran have been vying to have one of their members take over as the Supreme Leader.
Up until now, Raisi has held significant sway among those affiliated with conservative beliefs.
That is the reason why there are many discussions on social media among Iranian people about the incident of the president's helicopter. They are wondering why the other two helicopters that had ministers on them landed safely, while the president's helicopter did not.
A lot of people in Iran do not view Raisi as a credible figure. This is the reason why there were hardly any chants against him during the 2022 protest. Instead, the main focus was on the supreme leader.
Vehicles Line Up At Azerbaijan-Iran Border For Rescue Mission
Additional video is now available from the broadcast made by Iran's official TV. In this new footage, we can see rescue automobiles arranged in a line near the Iran-Azerbaijan border just as the evening sets in. See the video below.
What Countries Provided Assistance?
Now, we will examine the response of international representatives in view of the news that an aircraft carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign affairs minister had an accident while navigating through dense fog.
Implications For Iran: What's Next?
Numerous individuals across the globe are monitoring the progressions taking place in Iran, pondering whether notable modifications to Iran's approaches in the area will occur in the event that President Ebrahim Raisi encounters any harm.
To put it briefly, there isn't a significant amount.
Iran's leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, voiced optimism that the president and his team would come back to the country unharmed. He urged his fellow citizens to keep them in their prayers and quelled any concerns by promising that the country will run smoothly with no problems.
The majority of Iranians believe that the ones who hold the power to make significant political and foreign policy choices are the supreme leader and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards (IRGC).
The current Iranian President, Raisi, is noted for being extremely conservative, and he maintains a strong relationship with the country's supreme leader. Additionally, he is considered a top option to take the position of the supreme leader once it becomes available.
The economy could definitely face negative impacts due to instability. Once the news was announced, the Iranian Rial decreased significantly when compared to the US Dollar.
There's a big search underway in the mountains of north-west Iran after a helicopter, which was believed to be carrying President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, has disappeared.
Let me summarize the most recent updates:
Keep following us for further updates.
EU Deploys Map Service To Assist Search
The European Union has announced that it is using Copernicus, its speedy response mapping system, to assist in locating the helicopter that has crashed.
The Copernicus technology offers maps that are created through the use of images captured by satellites.
Janez Lenarcic, the European Commissioner responsible for crisis management, stated in a blog post that the EU was taking action in response to an appeal for help from Iran.
Raisi Spotted In Helicopter Before Crash - Watch State TV
We are able to present you with a video clip that was aired on Iranian state television. The clip shows Ebrahim Raisi riding in a helicopter earlier today, prior to reports of an incident that occurred.
Please click the "play" button located below to view the video.
Understanding A 'hard Landing'
Writing from the capital of the United States of America, Washington DC.
According to Iranian state media, the Iranian President's helicopter has allegedly crashed and they have used the term "hard landing" to describe the incident.
In Russia, when aircraft crash, the authorities frequently use the phrase "hard landing" to describe these incidents. The Russian Defence Ministry also uses this term when reporting on accidents involving military planes.
In June 2022, a military cargo plane known as Il-76 crashed in Russia's Ryazan region, unfortunately, claiming the lives of five service personnel who were on board. Although the plane was almost entirely destroyed upon impact, the Russian military labeled it as a hard landing when the incident occurred.
Experts suggest that Russian officials steer clear of using the word "crash" to avoid any possibility of causing emotional distress or widespread panic. This concept is referred to as newspeak and can be observed in other instances such as a "bang" to refer to an explosion or a soldier's demise being described as an "unidentified absence from a military unit".
Reports Show Raisi Near Helicopter Before Crash
We have just received a photo of the Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Azerbaijan from earlier today before the reported accident involving a helicopter.
According to the MEHR news agency, there's a picture of Raisi getting ready to get on a helicopter. However, it's not certain whether this happened before or after he stopped by two dams near the Iran-Azerbaijan boundary.
The content of this article is protected by copyright law and belongs to the MEHR News Agency. Any unauthorized use or reproduction of the article is strictly prohibited.
"Supreme Leader Urges Prayers For Raisi's Health In Iran"
After news reported that President Ebrahim Raisi was involved in a helicopter accident, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei - the highest authority in Iran - has issued a statement.
According to IRIB, he stated that the welfare of Raisi should be the subject of our prayers.
He suggests that the smoothness of the country's functioning won't be affected if the Iranian citizens remain calm.
No Missing Rescue Workers, Says Red Crescent
Beforehand, a representative from the Red Crescent organization stated that three individuals who were part of their rescue team were unaccounted for while they were looking for the helicopter that had crashed.
The company has declared that all of its staff members have been accounted for and no one is unaccounted for.
The spokeswoman stated that any updates regarding the rescue operation will only be provided by the task force that is responsible for carrying out the operation.
Azerbaijan Concerned About Helicopter Crash Reports
The President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev expressed his great concern upon learning the news of the helicopter accident that involved Ebrahim Raisi.
Earlier today, Aliyev joined forces with the Iranian president to unveil two dams located at the border between Iran and Azerbaijan.
"Earlier today, as we said goodbye to the President of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi, we received distressing news about a helicopter that was carrying the leading officials ending up crashing in Iran," the writer states on X.
"We are holding President Ebrahim Raisi and the accompanying delegation in our thoughts and prayers to Allah Almighty."
According to him, Azerbaijan is prepared to provide aid in any way possible.
Red Crescent Reports 3 Missing Rescuers
According to a spokesperson from the Red Crescent, three individuals who were attempting to locate the helicopter that had crashed are now unaccounted for.
According to the spokesperson, the search teams are nearing the possible crash site of the helicopter.
According to reports, the search mission is set to decelerate due to the anticipated drop in temperature as well as the approaching rainfall.
Who's Hossein Amir-Abdollahian?
The current situation has brought attention to Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, who is a significant figure in Iran's political landscape.
Over the last few months, with urgent diplomatic efforts ramping up to address the Israel-Gaza conflict, this person has played a key role as a communicator. They have been on the phone and in meetings, keeping in touch not only with Iran's partners but also with foreign ministers from Arab and Western countries.
He holds a crucial position in a structure where the supreme leader wields complete authority, and where the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) have significant influence over international affairs.
Throughout his many years holding important positions within the foreign ministry, he fostered strong relationships with the IRGC, specifically with Qasem Soleimani, who was leading the organization at the time.
Ever since Ebrahim Raisi became the president in 2021, Abdollahian has been constantly traveling to different cities across the globe. He's been striving to counteract attempts to isolate Iran and to come up with solutions to mitigate the negative effects of the severe international sanctions.
Raisi At Dam Openings Pre-helicopter Crash
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According to our previous reports, President Ebrahim Raisi of Iran was en route to Tabriz in the north-eastern region following his trip to the Iran-Azerbaijan border when the event took place.
Raisi paid a visit to the border between Iran and Azerbaijan, where he inaugurated the Qiz Qalasi and Khodaafarin dams in the company of his Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev.
Below are a few of the most recent pictures we obtained from his trip earlier today.
State TV Video Shows Rescuers En Route To Crash Site
We have obtained some visual material from Iranian state TV purportedly showing the rescue group heading towards the location of the alleged helicopter accident.
Numerous accounts indicate that the unfavorable climatic conditions are causing difficulties in reaching the location. Please see the video below for further details.
Interior Minister: Helicopter Location Search Will Be Time-consuming
Additional statements have been obtained from Ahmad Vahidi, Iran's Interior Minister, regarding the ongoing search for the missing helicopter. He confirms that a multitude of rescue teams are currently participating in the search efforts.
Vahidi talked to the Iranian state television and mentioned that reaching the crash site might take a while due to the unfavorable climate conditions and dense fog in the vicinity.
He states that everything is being managed and the rescue squads are executing their tasks. Our optimistic outlook is that it will be accomplished expeditiously.
Iranian State Media Calls For Prayers For Raisi
The Fars news agency, which is only partially authorized by the Iranian government, has urged the Iranian population to offer prayers for President Ebrahim Raisi as reports indicate that a helicopter accompanying him was caught in an unfortunate mishap.
State TV has released a video showing people praying for the well-being of the president in Mashhad. The worshippers can be seen offering their prayers for him.
No Communication With Helicopter Team Rescuers Yet
In this article, we will rewrite the blog section using plain English words. The writer of this piece is the editor of Arab affairs at the renowned news platform BBC.
The rescue teams are facing difficulties to reach the mountain accident spot in the north west of Iran due to unfavorable weather conditions, such as dense fog and heavy rain.
The well-being of the individuals who were in the helicopter is still uncertain at the moment. It has been reported that there hasn't been any communication established yet.
The Iranian president and foreign minister were on a trip together, flying through the area in a group of three helicopters. According to reports, two of the helicopters were able to land safely.
Raisi succeeded in winning the presidency in 2021 after running for the position once before.
Many people view him as a strict conservative and believe that he may eventually become the next Supreme Leader after Ayatollah Khamenei.
Who's Ebrahim Raisi?
In 2021, Raisi became the president after his second attempt. At 63 years old, he is known to be a strict religious leader. Some believe that he may even become the next supreme leader of Iran after Ayatollah Khamenei retires. Khamenei has held the position since 1989.
Last year, the dominant figure of the country appointed him for the influential role of leading the judiciary system.
Furthermore, Raisi was appointed as the vice president of the Assembly of Experts, a group of 88 religious leaders who are responsible for selecting the future Supreme Leader.
