Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi feared dead as helicopter wreckage found
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister are feared dead following a helicopter crash in mountainous terrain amidst icy weather. a Iranian official confirmed on Monday that search teams have found the wreckage.
'The wreckage has been located, and the situation appears grim,' stated Pirhossein Kolivand, head of Iran’s Red Crescent, during a broadcast on state television.
The possible crash site was identified by a Turkish drone, which detected a heat source thought to be the helicopter wreckage and shared the coordinates with Iranian authorities, according to Anadolu news agency on X.
Iranian state media reported that inclement weather caused the crash on Sunday, complicating rescue efforts. The state news agency IRNA noted that President Raisi was aboard a U.S.-made Bell 212 helicopter.
In response to the crash, the chief of staff of Iran's army has ordered the deployment of all available resources, including those of the elite Revolutionary Guards, to assist in the search and rescue operations.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the ultimate authority over Iran's foreign policy and nuclear program, sought to reassure the public that state affairs would continue without disruption.
A regional army commander informed state media, "We are thoroughly searching every inch of the crash area, despite the cold, rainy, and foggy conditions. The rain is gradually turning to snow, complicating our efforts."
Several nations have expressed concern and offered help. The White House announced that President Joe Biden had been briefed on the incident, while China expressed deep concern. The European Union has offered emergency satellite mapping technology to aid in the rescue efforts.
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