Iran’s President Raisi died in helicopter crash, former foreign minister blames US sanctions

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has died after a helicopter crash, Iranian state media said Monday morning.

The crash also killed Iran’s foreign minister and the other passengers on board. Raisi’s government began an emergency meeting on Monday following news of his death.

The helicopter carrying the officials crashed on Sunday while flying through rainy and foggy weather in the rural mountainous region near Kalibar and Warzghan in northern Iran, near the border with Azerbaijan and Armenia.

The Red Crescent confirmed earlier on Monday that it had located the missing helicopter carrying Raisi, which was initially reported to have made a “hard landing”. The head of the Iranian Red Crescent, Hossein Kolivand, had told state media that there was “no sign of life”.

“The president’s helicopter has been found,” the head of the Iranian Red Crescent said on state television. “We can see the helicopter and are moving towards the location. We don’t have any details. Let’s get on the helicopter to announce the details. We are about two kilometers from the helicopter.”

“Things are not good here,” he said after being asked if they could see any signs of a crash or fire.

According to the Iranian Foreign Ministry, search and rescue operations were launched shortly after the incident.

In a telephone interview on Monday with state television’s news program, former Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that US sanctions on Iranian aviation were one of the main reasons for the crash.

“As for the cruel American sanctions, the United States is one of the main culprits in the catastrophe of yesterday’s crash because, despite the decision of the International Court of Justice, it sanctioned the sale of aircraft and aviation spare parts and does not allow Iran.” ” People have access to good air transportation,” Zarif said. “The list of US crimes against the Iranian people includes how they have treated the Iranian people.”

Two hotspots were identified in the village of Tawal by a Turkish drone dispatched to assist rescue efforts, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported early Monday local time.

Red Crescent rescue teams began “moving towards the possible landing site of the helicopter,” IRNA reported earlier.

“There are currently 73 rescue teams in the search area for the helicopter in Tawal village, of which 23 Red Crescent teams (sniffer dogs) have been sent to the accident area along with advanced and specialized equipment from Tehran and neighboring provinces,” IRNA reported on Sunday.

The emergency teams reported that the weather in the region was bad on Sunday and at night.

“The weather conditions in the region are foggy and rainy and the search operation is being carried out despite the difficult conditions and limited visibility in the region,” the Red Crescent National Disaster Management Headquarters said.

According to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, President Joe Biden was briefed on Sunday about the Iranian president’s helicopter accident.

The Foreign Ministry is closely following reports of the incident, a spokesman said on Sunday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday he would send 50 rescuers, two planes and a helicopter to Iran to help with the search, TASS, a Russian news service, reported.

According to the Turkish Defense Ministry, the country sent an Akinci drone and a Cougar helicopter with night vision capability to assist in search and rescue operations.

A relative of the president had previously told the Fars news agency that the helicopter was forced to land due to fog.

In an appearance on state television, Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi confirmed that the president’s helicopter had made a “hard landing”.

Later on Sunday, an Iranian government spokesman called the helicopter incident an “accident.”

“We are experiencing difficult and complicated conditions. It is the right of the people and the media to be informed of the latest news about the presidential helicopter accident, but depending on the coordinates of the accident site and the weather conditions, there are “no.” “In these moments, patience, prayer and faith are in Aid groups are the right way,” said the government spokesman.

The first reports of problems with Raisi’s helicopter, one of three in a convoy with the Iranian officials, began circulating in state-affiliated media around 3:45 p.m. local time or 8:15 a.m. ET on Sunday.

Initially, 40 search and rescue teams were sent to the area, the head of the Iranian Red Crescent told state media. According to the Red Crescent, search and rescue aircraft were also sent to the area, but weather conditions prevented a flight.

Vahidi said Raisi was in the area to help open the Khoda Afarin and Qiz Qalasi dams near Azerbaijan and had just returned home from the trip when the incident occurred.

“One of the helicopters had to make a rough landing due to poor weather conditions and fog in the area,” Vahidi said.

Ilham Aliyev, the President of Azerbaijan, who attended the inauguration of the dams with Raisi on Sunday, offered his country’s assistance in the search for the helicopter.

“After bidding a friendly farewell to the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ebrahim Raisi today, we were deeply disturbed by the news that a helicopter carrying the top delegation crashed in Iran,” Aliyev said in a post on social media site X . “Our prayers to Allah Almighty go out to President Ebrahim Raisi and the accompanying delegation. As a neighbor, friend and brotherly country, the Republic of Azerbaijan is ready to offer any assistance needed.”

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, also released a statement on Sunday calling on people to pray that Raisi and the others would be found safe.

“We hope that Almighty God will return the respected and honorable president and his companions to the arms of the nation,” Khamenei said. “Everyone should pray for the health of this group of servants.”

ABC News’ Hami Hamedi contributed to this report.