The president and overseas minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran are believed to have been killed in a helicopter crash whereas touring within the nation’s east on Sunday.
The helicopter carrying President Ibrahim Raisi and Overseas Minister Hossein Amir Abdullahian crashed in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province after encountering dense fog.
Reviews started breaking early Monday that the crash website had been positioned and that rescuers might see “no indicators of life.”
BREAKING: ‘No indicators of life’ discovered at crash website of helicopter carrying President Ibrahim Raisi and others, Iranian state TV says https://t.co/Xb5LLyJdwY
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“President Raisi’s helicopter was utterly gutted within the crash… sadly, all passengers are feared lifeless,” an official advised Reuters.
Raisi was a hardliner who helped oversee the bloodbath of 1000’s of political prisoners in 1988 after Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa. There have been widespread accusations in Iran that Raisi got here to energy solely due to rigging.
Abdullahian was additionally a hardliner with shut ties to quite a few Overseas Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), together with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Lebanon’s Hezbollah, and the Palestinian teams Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).
In remarks broadcast on state TV, Inside Minister Ahmed Wahidi mentioned they “boarded a number of helicopters on the way in which again and one helicopter was pressured to make a tough touchdown on account of dangerous climate and fog.”
He mentioned rescue crews had issue finding and reaching the crash website on account of climate situations, tough terrain within the area and lack of gentle.
The officers had been returning early Sunday morning from a go to to Azerbaijan the place they attended the inauguration of a brand new dam on the Aras River with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
“Right this moment, after a pleasant farewell with the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ibrahim Raisi, we’re deeply involved by the information of the crash-landing of a helicopter carrying the highest delegation in Iran,” Aliyev mentioned. “Our prayers to God are with President Ibrahim Raisi and the delegation accompanying him. As a neighbor, good friend and brotherly nation, the Republic of Azerbaijan is prepared for any help.”
It is a breaking information story; Refresh the web page for updates.
