Helicopter crash in Iran: President's search mission faces setbacks

Three rescuers were sent on a mission to search for the crashed helicopter carrying President Ebrahim Raisi went missing. The spokesperson for the Iranian Red Crescent told the media that contact was lost with the group searching for the wreckage and survivors in the mountains near Sungun.

The rescue operation is being conducted in dense fog, and the weather conditions in the East Azerbaijan province are highly challenging.

According to the BBC, rescue teams are near where the helicopter might have crashed. The search area is in mountainous terrain, where access is challenging. The Red Crescent spokesperson added that the weather is expected to worsen soon.

The search and rescue operation will slow down significantly if his words are confirmed. The weather conditions might become dangerous to life and health. As evening approaches, it will get colder in the mountains, and more rain is forecasted.

Interestingly, the BBC now reports that the Red Crescent denies the reports about missing rescuers.

An Iranian official told Reuters that the lives of President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian are "at risk." The helicopter with the politicians was supposed to have a "hard landing" in northwestern Iran.

President Raisi and other officials participated in the ceremony to launch a dam on the Aras River. The Iranian politician met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev there.

The President of Iran, the Foreign Minister, the Governor of East Azerbaijan province, and clerics were then supposed to fly by helicopter to Tazbir. However, the machine had a "hard landing" near the Sungun copper mine due to poor weather conditions prevailing in the region.