The wreckage at the crash site of a helicopter transporting Iran's President, his Foreign Minster, and others in a fog-covered mountainous area of Varzaghan in northwestern Iran. Pics/AFP
The crashed chopper was found after an hourslong search through a foggy, mountainous region of the country's northwest, state media reported. Raisi was 63
The crash comes as the Middle East remains unsettled by the Israel-Hamas war, during which Raisi under Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei launched an unprecedented drone-and-missile attack on Israel just last month
Under Raisi, Iran enriched uranium closer than ever to weapons-grade levels, further escalating tensions with the West as Tehran also supplied bomb-carrying drones to Russia for its war in Ukraine and armed militia groups across the region
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
Drone footage shared by Iranian state news agency IRNA showed wreckage of President Raisi's helicopter. The footage was shot by the Red Crescent
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
Raisi was returning to Iran following a visit to Azerbaijan when his helicopter came down in bad weather conditions on Sunday afternoon
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