Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's helicopter experienced a "hard landing" while traveling in Iran's East Azerbaijan province on May 19, as reported AP news citing Iranian state television. The incident occurred near Jolfa, a city bordering Azerbaijan, approximately 600 kilometers northwest of Tehran. Poor weather conditions, including heavy rain and strong winds, complicated rescue efforts in the area.
President Raisi had been visiting Azerbaijan to inaugurate a dam on the Aras River, the third joint project between Iran and Azerbaijan. Despite Iran's varied helicopter fleet, obtaining parts remains challenging due to international sanctions. The country's military air fleet largely consists of older aircraft predating the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Ebrahim Raisi, aged 63, is a hard-line figure who previously served as Iran's judiciary chief. Regarded as a protégé of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, he has been speculated to potentially succeed the aging leader. Raisi won Iran's 2021 presidential election amidst historically low voter turnout. Notably, he faces U.S. sanctions for his alleged involvement in the mass execution of political prisoners in 1988.
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