A helicopter carrying President Ebrahim Raisi of Iran crashed in the northwestern part of the country.
The crash would deprive Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of a longtime ally and potential successor as Tehran angles for regional dominance through armed militias that are fighting the U.S. and Israel.
Drones, dogs, and search and rescue teams were used to locate the helicopter as fog and bad weather made the work difficult, the interior minister, Ahmad Vahidi, said on Iranian state television.
“On Sunday afternoon, a helicopter carrying the President, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and several companions unfortunately had an accident in the Varzaghan region of East Azerbaijan province,” said a statement from the foreign ministry.
Raisi’s security detail and crew members were also flying with him, along with the governor of the East Azerbaijan province and a senior local cleric.
