Iran’s President Raisi Suffers Helicopter Hard Landing

Iranian state media stated that a chopper transporting Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi experienced a “hard landing” on Sunday without providing any details. Raisi was journeying across Iran’s East Azerbaijan province. The incident occurred at Jolfa, a city located on the border with Azerbaijan, around 600 miles northwest of Tehran, as reported by official television. The chopper was part of a convoy of three helicopters. Tasnim said two helicopters flew ministers and officials safely to their destinations. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, the governor of Iran’s East Azerbaijan region, and other officials were reported to have accompanied Raisi, as per the state-run IRNA news agency. A local government official referred to the incident as a “crash” but mentioned to an Iranian outlet that he had not yet arrived at the spot. Official television said rescuers tried to reach the scene but were hindered by severe weather conditions. Reports indicated the presence of heavy rain, fog, and wind. IRNA classified the area as a “forest.” Raisi visited Azerbaijan on Sunday to officially open a dam with President Ilham Aliyev. This dam is the third development project on the Aras River that involves both countries. The visit took place despite tense relations between the two nations, which were exacerbated by a shooting incident at Azerbaijan’s Embassy in Tehran in 2023 and Azerbaijan’s diplomatic ties with Israel, a country viewed as Iran’s main regional rival by Iran’s Shiite theocracy. Iran utilises a range of helicopters domestically but faces challenges obtaining parts due to international restrictions. The military air fleet existed before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Raisi, aged 63, is a conservative who formerly led the nation’s judiciary. He is seen as a protege of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and some observers speculate that he may potentially take over from the 85-year-old leader upon his death or retirement. Raisi emerged as the victor in Iran’s 2021 presidential election, marked by the lowest voter turnout in the history of the Islamic Republic. Raisi was blacklisted by the United States due to his involvement in the mass execution of numerous political detainees after the conclusion of the Iran-Iraq war in 1988.