Helicopter carrying Iranian President Raisi crashes, state media says

Rescue teams are making all attempts to reach the Iranian president’s helicopter quickly, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reports.

Weather reports indicate that in the next two hours, the weather is expected to become extremely cold in the crash site area, which could prevent the rescuers from progressing, Tasnim reports.

The Iranian government is asking for patience, prayer, and trust in the rescuers who are attempting to reach the site, government spokesperson Ali Bahadori-Jahromi said in a post on X. 

The Red Crescent, rescue teams, mountaineers and other rescue groups hope to arrive at the location of the possible coordinates of the president’s helicopter in less than half an hour, Tasnim reports. 

Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber is en route to Tabriz, the area where the president’s helicopter crashed earlier Sunday, the spokesperson Jahromi said. Some other government officials are en route with him.