A huge search operation is underway in Iran after a helicopter carrying the country’s President Ebrahim Raisi crashed in the mountainous north-west of the country in heavy fog. Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian was also on the aircraft.
The men had been visiting Iran’s remote mountain border region with Azerbaijan to inaugurate a new dam project. Two other helicopters in the convoy made the journey safely.
Rescue teams are attempting to locate the helicopter but are being hampered by very poor weather. Iran’s army is reported to have ordered that all resources needed be sent to the search area. The Red Crescent is helping with the search operation. Drones and rescue dogs are being used in the attempt to locate the helicopter. Countries in the region including Turkey have offered assistance with the search.
Mass prayers are being said in mosques in Iran. Iran’s state-run television first announced news of what they described as a “hard-landing”. The country’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei delivered a message of calm, saying he hoped that God would return the President to the people. He told Iranians that there would be no disruption to the running of the country.
President Raisi has been a key and controversial figure in Iran for many decades, regarded as a hardliner within the Islamic Republic’s leadership. The accident comes at a time of high tension in the Middle East, with the war in Gaza and fears that the conflict could widen.
Israel and the United States have accused Iran of backing militant groups including Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen. Recently Iran fired hundreds of missiles at Israel. An airstrike on a military base in Iran was widely seen as Israel’s response to that attack.
Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian is a well-known figure on the international stage, where he has been involved in talks and negotiations about Iran’s nuclear programme.
Jane Hill presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Caroline Hawley.
For more news, analysis and features visit: www.bbc.com/news
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40 Comments
What a loss of the pilot and his officers!. He was a respected colonel within the air force. That guy Raesi and that tall boy were also onboard.
Now it's got me wondering if anyone was carrying a beeper on that flight lol
On the road or in the air, them boys dead
RIP
China and Russia lost allies
Allah akbar for americans. Yet allah akbar is a no go for iranian dictator😂😂😂😂
The fat man can't fly. That's why you don't pray to a false god. Dumbassws
´änime unknövvn ^??^
´täk i0vv
It’s a party now
chickens coming home to roost…I wonder which country ordered this little bit of good news (wink, wink). My guess is someone within the British Commonwealth as the Israelis are busy with the Hamas and every member of the CIA are probably on Irans watch list
J
Sono morti basta
Sono morti e lasciateli in pace e basta
very old news…idiots
its Fake Fake Fake
nobody cares
ค้นหาท้านด้สย❤❤❤
❤ขอบคุณค่ะ❤❤❤คนดีย่อมได้รับผลดี❤❤
I'm from Iran and we see your perfect examinations and I'm really sad because our presidents died I'm a YouTuber too😢
So proof that Allah is fake?
Its written in the word of God that Whoever will curse Israel will be cursed.
Is the helicopter okay??
So the Jew hating moron is no longer with us. I'm having a hard time feeling sad about this.
😢😢😢
Wow. I assumed it was Israel. Thank G_d it wasn't.
kobe 2
Oh come on y’all we all know there were us fighter jets up there, and we all know Iran is tryna start a war
To the top man/woman, whatever that big sibling like being up in the universe is that looks after us all and helps us out. Thank you. That's all i jave to say. Just thank you.
Maybe a weapon has been used called geo engineering ..
Does it shows that Activites can not Live 🏫
Jesus Christ still love and look after Israel..Did Israel know this
قصاب خونخوار دمر شد.
😢😢😢😢😢😢
When the hyenas cheer; It is certain that a lion has fallen to the ground!
LIC LIC people international prime Minister LIC international people Iran Iran Iran Iran Rashtrapati LIC LIC
😭😭😭😭😭😭🇵🇰
https://youtu.be/1p6riF6OJVI
Man fekr mikardam BBC ayatollah hast mesle inke INTERNATIONAL ( man Iran ro az jeloye international vardashtam ) ham be ayatollah BBC payvast…. khabar negareh shoma migeh vazireh kharejehe IRAN !!!!!!!! na yek bar dobar . mageh mishe bad az inhameh ghatlo jenayat va bad az inhameh saal ha shoma hanooz migeed RAHBARE IRAN!!!! ?????RAISI PRESIDENT IRAN!!!!!! ????? VAZIREH KHAREJEHE IRAN!!!!!! ????? shoma ha saabet kardeed ke rabeteh ba KHAMENEI ghatele bache kosh dareed dorost mesle ayatollah BBC…..INTORI HARF ZADAN TASAADOFI NEEST……PS: IRAN AND IRANIANS HAVE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF DIRTY PIGS AND TERRORISTS…CAN YOU PUT THIS IN YOUR EMPTY HEAD??????
why fly during rain an fog.
Rasie is Lion