Iran President Ebrahim Raisi, foreign minister dead in helicopter crash, report Iranian media

Iran`s President Ebrahim Raisi. Pic/AFP

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has died in the helicopter crash, Mehr News Agency, a semi-official news agency of the Iranian government said on Monday, reported news agency ANI.

However, there has been no official confirmation of this.

Mehr news agency today reported that the Iranian president, foreign minister and other occupants of the helicopter, including East Azerbaijan Province Governor Malek Rahmati, have been "martyred".

There is still no official confirmation that Raisi is dead, but medics have said that they found "no signs" of life at the crash site, reported ANI.

The crash site of the helicopter carrying President Raisi was found in the forested mountains earlier today.

Drone footage shared by Iranian state news agency IRNA showed wreckage of President Raisi's helicopter. The footage was shot by the Red Crescent, reported ANI.

The wreckage was found on the route from Khoylar village to Kelem.

Tasnim News Agency reported from Varzeqan that after the probable coordinates of the crash site were announced, rescue teams immediately went to the designated location, but there was no sign of the helicopter, reported ANI.

The search operation continued as daylight broke along the Khoylar to Kelem route.

Rescue teams then noticed the helicopter's blades and wings on a hill and immediately changed their course towards the hill.

The Iranian Red Crescent head highlighted that, according to the videos from the rescue teams, the entire cabin of the helicopter was significantly damaged and burned, adding that there were no signs of survivors on the site, reported ANI.

As the Iranian rescue teams located Raisi's helicopter, no clue of any living persons was reported in the crash, according to Iran-based Press TV.

He did not give further detail but said "the condition is not good", state news agency IRNA reported. "73 rescue teams are present in the search area of the helicopter in Tawal village with advanced and specialized equipment", he added, reported ANI.

Raisi was returning to Iran following a visit to Azerbaijan when his helicopter came down in bad weather conditions on Sunday afternoon.

Nine people were on the helicopter that crashed in northwest Iran on Sunday, including three officials, an imam, and flight and security team members, as reported by Tasnim News.

The IRGC-run media outlet, Sepah, reported the nine included: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian; Governor of Eastern Azerbaijan province Malek Rahmati, Tabriz's Friday prayer Imam Mohammad Ali Alehashem as well as a pilot, copilot, crew chief, head of security, and another bodyguard, reported ANI.

For the first time, Iran is going through such a situation. The country has never seen something similar with the president and the foreign minister disappearing in a helicopter crash, reported Al Jazeera.

The incident sparked global attention, and the foreign countries extended help with the search operations. The Turks sent their drones and the Russians sent their equipment, while the global leaders and the people of Iran prayed for the Iranian president and the other people on board, reported ANI.

(With inputs from ANI)