Hopes are fading that Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister have survived a helicopter crash in mountainous terrain and icy weather, after search teams located the wreckage.
The head of Iran's Red Crescent told state TV the wreckage of the helicopter was sighted, describing the situation as "not good".
"We can see the wreckage and the situation does not look good," Pirhossein Kolivand said.
A Turkish drone searching for the helicopter had identified a heat source in a mountainous region in the country's north, according to a Turkish news agency.
The helicopter crashed in heavy fog on the way back from a visit to the country's border with Azerbaijan, according to an Iranian official.
Iranian news agency IRNA said it was carrying Mr Raisi as well as Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and local officials.
Iranian rescuers rushed to the site, state TV reported. The coordinates listed in the footage put the fire some 20 kilometres south of the Azerbaijan-Iranian border on the side of a steep mountain.
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"We are still hopeful but information coming from the crash site is very concerning," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called on Iranians to pray for the president following the reports.
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"We hope God returns our dear president and his companions to the embrace of the nation," he said.
"Of course we have to pray, you have to pray as well. We all have to pray for the health of this team led by the president. Their efforts and service to the country is a great blessing.
"We hope God wouldn't take this blessing away from the country."
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Where did the helicopter crash?
The helicopter was reported to have crashed in forested mountains north of Tabriz, in the province of East Azerbaijan, in the north-west of the country.
Mr Raisi had been at the Azerbaijani border on Sunday to inaugurate the Qiz-Qalasi Dam, a joint project.
Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev, who said he had bid a "friendly farewell" to Raisi earlier in the day, offered assistance in the rescue.
Interior Minister Ahmed Vahidi earlier told state TV only that one of the helicopters in a group of three had come down hard, and that authorities were awaiting further details.
Rescuers were attempting to reach the site, state TV said, but had been hampered by poor weather conditions.There had been heavy rain and fog reported with some wind.
The chief of staff of Iran's army ordered all the resources of the army and the elite Revolutionary Guards to be put to use in search and rescue operations.
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"It is dark and it has started raining, but the search continues. Rescue teams have reached the area … however, the rain has created mud, making the search difficult," a local reporter told state TV.
Neighbouring countries expressed concern and offered assistance in any rescue.
Türkiye said it had assigned a drone, a helicopter, vehicles and a rescue team after a request by Iranian authorities.
The search area for the crash site was later narrowed down to a 2 kilometre radius.
Turkish news agency Anadolu reported a TurkishBayraktar Akıncıdrone identified a heat source suspected to be the crash site.
The European Union had also offered emergency satellite mapping technology.
The White House said US president Joe Biden had been briefed on reports about the crash.
Raisi travelling in US-made helicopter
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State TV earlier quoted an official as saying that at least one passenger and one crew member had been in contact with rescuers.
Iranian state media said bad weather was the cause of the crash and was complicating rescue efforts.
State news agency IRNA said Mr Raisi was flying in a US-made Bell 212 helicopter.
Iran flies a variety of helicopters, but international sanctions make it difficult to obtain parts for them. Its military air fleet also largely dates back to before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Since Iran's ally Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, provoking Israel's assault on Gaza, conflagrations involving Iran-aligned groups have erupted throughout the Middle East.
The crash came after Iran launched an unprecedented drone-and-missile attack on Israel last month and has enriched uranium closer than ever to weapons-grade levels.
Iran launched last month's attack over a suspected Israeli air strike on its embassy compound in Syria on April 1 that killed seven Iranian Revolutionary Guards officers including two senior commanders.
Mr Raisi, 63, was elected president at the second attempt in 2021, and since taking office has ordered a tightening of morality laws, overseen a bloody crackdown on anti-government protests and pushed hard in nuclear talks with world powers.
In Iran's dual political system, split between the clerical establishment and the government, it is the supreme leader rather than the president who has the final say on all major policies.
But many see Mr Raisi as a strong contender to succeed his mentor, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has strongly endorsed Mr Raisi's main policies.
Reuters/AP
Posted, updated
