DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A helicopter sporting Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi suffered a “difficult touchdown” on Sunday, Iranian state media reported, with out elaborating. Some started urging the general public to wish for Raisi and the others on board as rescue crews sped via a misty, rural woodland the place his helicopter used to be believed to be. Raisi used to be touring in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province. State TV stated the incident came about close to Jolfa, a town at the border with with the country of Azerbaijan, some 600 kilometers (375 miles) northwest of the Iranian capital, Tehran. Later, the TV put it farther east close to the village of Uzi, however main points remained contradictory. Touring with Raisi have been Iran’s Overseas Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, the governor of Iran’s East Azerbaijan province and different officers and bodyguards, the state-run IRNA information company reported. One native govt professional used the phrase “crash” to explain the incident, however he said to an Iranian newspaper that he had but to achieve the website himself.
Neither IRNA nor state TV introduced any data on Raisi’s situation. On the other hand, hard-liners steered the general public to wish for him. State TV later aired pictures of the trustworthy praying at Imam Reza Shrine within the town of Mashhad, one in all Shiite Islam’s holiest websites.
“The esteemed president and corporate have been on their long ago aboard some helicopters and one of the vital helicopters used to be compelled to make a tough touchdown because of the unhealthy climate and fog,” Inner Minister Ahmad Vahidi stated in feedback aired on state TV. “More than a few rescue groups are on their method to the area however on account of the deficient climate and fogginess it could take time for them to achieve the helicopter.”
He added: “The area is a little bit (rugged) and it’s tough to make touch. We’re looking forward to rescue groups to achieve the touchdown website and provides us additional info.”
Rescuers have been making an attempt to achieve the website, state TV stated, however have been hampered through deficient climate prerequisites. There have been heavy rain and fog reported with some wind. IRNA known as the realm a “woodland” and the area is understood to be mountainous as smartly. State TV aired pictures of SUVs racing via a wooded space. A rescue helicopter attempted to achieve the realm the place government consider Raisi’s helicopter used to be, but it surely couldn’t land because of the heavy mist, emergency products and services spokesman Babak Yektaparast informed IRNA. Raisi have been at the border with Azerbaijan early Sunday to inaugurate a dam with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev. The dam is the 3rd person who the 2 countries constructed at the Aras River. The seek advice from got here in spite of cold members of the family between the 2 countries, together with over a gun assault on Azerbaijan’s Embassy in Tehran in 2023, and Azerbaijan’s diplomatic members of the family with Israel, which Iran’s Shiite theocracy perspectives as its primary enemy within the area. Iran flies various helicopters within the nation, however world sanctions make it tough to acquire portions for them. Its army air fleet additionally in large part dates again to ahead of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Raisi, 63, is a hard-liner who previously led the rustic’s judiciary. He’s seen as a protégé of Iran’s Splendid Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and a few analysts have advised he may substitute the 85-year-old chief after his demise or resignation from the function. Raisi received Iran’s 2021 presidential election, a vote that noticed the bottom turnout within the Islamic Republic’s historical past. Raisi is sanctioned through the U.S. partly over his involvement within the mass execution of 1000’s of political prisoners in 1988 on the finish of the bloody Iran-Iraq struggle.Below Raisi, Iran now enriches uranium at just about weapons-grade ranges and hampers world inspections. Iran has armed Russia in its struggle on Ukraine, in addition to introduced a large drone-and-missile assault on Israel amid its struggle towards Hamas within the Gaza Strip. It additionally has persisted arming proxy teams within the Mideast, like Yemen’s Houthi rebels and Lebanon’s Hezbollah. ___Associated Press author Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this document.
