A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and other senior leaders, including Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, went missing in the country’s east Azerbaijan on Sunday due to an incident caused by bad weather.
Rescue teams are currently searching for the helicopter in the area, which is experiencing dense fog and heavy rain. As darkness and adverse weather conditions have made the search difficult for armed forces personnel, including members of the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), there is confusion due to conflicting reports about the helicopter's detection.
Reports suggest that signals from the helicopter and the mobile phone of a flight crew member have been identified. IRGC regional commander Asghar Abbasgholizadeh stated to Tasnim news agency, "We are mobilizing all military forces to move towards the area, and hopefully, we will have positive news to share with the public."