Iran Official Recounts Last Moments Before Raisi Chopper Crashed, Says "No Bad Weather Condition"

Gholamhossein Esmaili said in an interview with state TV that weather conditions in Iran’s Varzaqan region, where President Raisi’s copter crashed, were perfect at the start and during most of the flight that took place a day earlier.

Esmaili was in one of the three helicopters that were returning from a dam inauguration ceremony on Iran’s border with the Republic of Azerbaijan.

He said the helicopters had taken off at around 1:00 p.m. local time on May 19 while weather conditions in the area were normal.

After 45 minutes into the flight, the pilot of President Raeisi’s helicopter who was in charge of the convoy, ordered other helicopters to increase altitude to avoid a nearby cloud.

However, the president’s helicopter, which was flying between the two others, suddenly disappeared.