TEHRAN — A helicopter ferrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi encountered a "hard landing" near Jolfa, a city on the Iran-Azerbaijan border, as reported by Iranian state TV.

The incident occurred 600 kilometers northwest of Tehran in East Azerbaijan province while Raisi was returning from a dam inauguration event with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev. Rescuers are struggling to reach the crash site due to adverse weather conditions, including heavy rain and wind.

President Raisi, a key figure in Iranian politics and a close ally of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been instrumental in numerous national and international policies since his election in 2021.

The region remains tense as Iran faces challenges including sanctions impacting its aviation capabilities and ongoing geopolitical conflicts. — Agencies