A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi crashed on Sunday afternoon in northwestern Iran. It is currently unclear if Raisi and others on board survived the crash.
The incident occurred while the president was visiting neighbouring Azerbaijan. Rescue teams are en route to the crash site, according to Iran’s Interior Minister.
The Iranian official news agency IRNA reported that the helicopter had President Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, and local officials on board. The semi-official Fars news agency has called on Iranians to pray for Raisi following the reports.
Interior Minister Ahmed Vahidi told state TV that authorities are awaiting further details.
President Raisi, 63, was elected in 2021 and has since tightened morality laws, overseen a crackdown on anti-government protests, and pushed forward in nuclear negotiations with world powers.