Iran's President and Foreign Minister feareddead in helicopter crash | BBC News

A huge search operation is underway in Iran after ahelicopter carrying the country's President EbrahimRaisi crashed in the mountainous north-west of thecountry in heavy fog. Iran's Foreign Minister HosseinAmirabdollahian was also on the aircraft.

The men had been visiting Iran's remote mountainborder region with Azerbaijan to inaugurate a new dam.project. Two other helicopters in the convoy made the journey safely.

Rescue teams are attempting to locate the helicopterbut are being hampered by very poor weather. Iran'sarmy is reported to have ordered that all resourcesneeded be sent to the search area. The Red Crescent is helping with the search operation. Drones andrescue dogs are being used in the attempt to locatethe helicopter. Countries in the region including Turkeyhave offered assistance with the search.

Mass prayers are being said in mosques in Iran. Iran'sstate-run television first announced news of what theydescribed as a "hard-landing". The country's supremeleader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei delivered a message ofcalm, saying he hoped that God would return thePresident to the people. He told Iranians that therewould be no disruption to the running of the country.

President Raisi has been a key and controversial figurein Iran for many decades, regarded as a hardlinerwithin the Islamic Republic's leadership. The accidentcomes at a time of high tension in the Middle East,with the war in Gaza and fears that the conflict could widen.

Israel and the United States have accused Iran ofbacking militant groups including Hamas in Gaza,Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen.Recently Iran fired hundreds of missiles at Israel. Anairstrike on a military base in Iran was widely seen asIsrael's response to that attack.

Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian is awell-known figure on the international stage, where hehas been involved in talks and negotiations about Iran's nuclear programme.

Jane Hill presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Caroline Hawley.

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