A desperate search and rescue operation was under way last night after a helicopter carrying the Iranian president, Ebrahim Raisi, and his foreign minister crashed on a fog-covered mountainside in north-western Iran.
State TV reported that the helicopter had been found last night, well after dark, and quoted an official as saying that at least one passenger and one crew member had been in contact with rescuers.
Details were scant and sometimes conflicting, with Iranian Red Crescent rescuers later saying no helicopter had been found.
With no published information of whether the president was alive or dead, the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei - who holds ultimate power in Iran - sought to reassure the nation.
Iranians should not worry or be anxious, he said, adding: "No disruption will occur in Iran's state affairs." An Iranian official had earlier told Reuters that the lives of Raisi and the foreign minister, Hossein AmirAbdollahian who was travelling with him - were "at risk following the helicopter crash". They added: "We are still hopeful, but information from the site is very concerning." Prayers were broadcast on state media for the safety of the president.
Iranian state media blamed bad weather for the crash and said it was complicating rescue efforts. "It is dark and it has started raining, but the search continues," a reporter told local media. "Rescue teams have reached the area... however, the rain has created mud, making the search difficult."
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