Where’s Raisi?

Crisis in Northern Iran

Earlier today, a Bell 212 helicopter carrying both Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian went down while flying through a mountainous area in Northern Iran.

Prior to the crash, both Raisi and Amirabdollahian had been at the Azerbaijani border to inaugurate the Qiz-Qalasi Dam, a joint project between Iran and Azerbaijan. The helicopter is believed to have gone down in foggy conditions on the return trip.

Search Efforts Hindered by Weather

At present, rescue teams are attempting to locate the crash site but have been unsuccessful due to poor weather conditions in the region. Interestingly enough, the Iranian government has been quick to point out that it was a US-Made Bell 212 the president was flying in when it went down, and claimed that the crash site had been located. However, the Iranian Red Crescent has denied they have located any wreckage.

~NC