Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s helicopter experienced a “hard landing” in the Dizmar Forest in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province, near the border with Azerbaijan. The circumstances surrounding the incident were initially attributed to bad weather and fog by Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi. Search and rescue teams were dispatched to the area, where they found the helicopter and made contact with one passenger and one crew member. Despite challenging weather conditions, 40 search teams were on the ground conducting operations, as aerial searches via drones were impossible.
The mountainous, forested terrain and heavy fog posed challenges to the search and rescue efforts in the region. Iranian President Raisi was traveling with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and other officials at the time of the incident. Rescue teams were on their way to the landing site amidst difficult conditions. The governor of East Azerbaijan province, where the incident occurred, was also part of the president’s entourage. Iranian Red Crescent Society president Pir Hossein Koulivand stated that ground teams were conducting the search, as the weather conditions prevented aerial searches with drones.
Despite the traditionally tense relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, Saudi Arabia expressed concern and offered assistance in the search operations for President Raisi. Other countries, including Russia, Iraq, and Qatar, also offered formal statements of concern and assistance. The incident occurred following President Raisi’s visit to Azerbaijan to inaugurate a dam with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. The visit took place despite strained relations between the two countries, stemming from various incidents, including a gun attack on Azerbaijan’s Embassy in Tehran in 2023 and Azerbaijan’s diplomatic ties with Israel, viewed as Iran’s main regional enemy.
While one official described the incident as a “crash,” the search operations and rescue efforts were ongoing as the rugged terrain and poor weather conditions made it difficult to make contact with the helicopter. Iranian state media reported that various rescue teams were en route to the site, but the challenging conditions were delaying their arrival. Despite Iran’s recent missile and drone attacks on Israel following an Israeli strike on an Iranian consular building in Damascus, there was no immediate official reaction from Israel regarding the incident involving President Raisi’s helicopter. The tensions between the two countries appear to have subsided in recent weeks.
In conclusion, the “hard landing” of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s helicopter in the Dizmar Forest has prompted a large-scale search and rescue operation in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province. The incident, initially attributed to bad weather and fog, involved the president, Iranian Foreign Minister, and other officials. Various countries, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, and Qatar, have offered assistance in the search efforts. The strained relations between Iran and Azerbaijan following past incidents did not prevent President Raisi from visiting Azerbaijan to inaugurate a dam. The ongoing rescue operations are hampered by challenging weather conditions, but efforts to reach the helicopter and ensure the safety of the passengers and crew are continuing.
