Lives of Iran president and foreign minister ‘at risk’ as search under way after helicopter crash

World

A helicopter carrying Iran’s president has been involved in a “hard landing”, Iranian state TV has said.

President Ebrahim Raisi was travelling in the aircraft in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province at the time.

Rescue teams are reportedly heading to the scene.

State TV said the incident happened near the city of Jolfa, about 375 miles (600km) northwest of the capital Tehran.

Mr Raisi had been in Azerbaijan for the inauguration of a dam with the country’s president, Ilham Aliyev.

The 63-year-old is a hard-liner and former head of the judiciary who some have suggested could one day replace Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

He has been president since August 2021, with his time in charge including major protests over the death of Mahsa Amini.

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