There was “no sign” of life among passengers of the helicopter carrying Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and other officials, Iran's state television said Monday.
“Upon finding the helicopter, there was no sign of the helicopter passengers being alive as of yet,” state TV reported, citing the Iranian Red Crescent Society head Pir Hossein Kolivand.
While it did not elaborate, the semi-official Tasnim news agency showed rescuers using a small drone to fly over the site, with them saying the same thing.
Semi-official news outlets declared the president dead on Monday morning, although no official confirmation was immediately provided.
Mehr news agency said the president, foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, and several other officials "had an accident while serving the people of Iran" and described them as martyrs.
An Iranian official also confirmed their deaths to Reuters.
“We can see the wreckage and the situation does not look good,” Mr Kolivand told state TV.
The helicopter crashed in the mountainous north-west region of Iran, in East Azerbaijan province, the day before.
State TV said the “hard landing” happened near Jolfa, a city on the border with the nation of Azerbaijan, about 600km north-west of the capital, Tehran.
Later, state TV put it farther east near the village of Uzi, but details remained contradictory.
State news agency IRNA said Mr Raisi was flying in a US-made Bell 212 helicopter.
The chief of staff of Iran's army ordered all resources of the army and the elite Revolutionary Guards to be put to use in search and rescue operations.
Iran's Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi confirmed that rescue teams had been sent to an area close to Iran's border with Azerbaijan.
Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, East Azerbaijan Governor Malik Rahmati and Mohammed Ali Ale-Hashem, the imam of Tabriz, were all also reportedly aboard the helicopter.
Two other helicopters travelling in the convoy landed safely.
Aerial search and rescue operations were suspended after heavy fog left helicopters unable to land.
“It’s a complicated area, and making contact is difficult. We are waiting for teams to reach the area for more information,” Mr Vahidi told state TV.
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iranians should pray for the missing leaders.
“Everyone should pray for the health of these people who are serving the Iranian nation,” Mr Khamenei said in a post on X.
“The nation doesn't need to be worried or anxious as the administration of the country will not be disrupted at all.”
An Iranian official told Reuters that the lives of Mr Raisi and Mr Amirabdollahian were “in danger”.
“We are still hopeful but information coming from the crash site is very concerning,” said the official.
Later overnight, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said: “Despite adverse weather and environmental conditions, efforts by rescue teams to reach the accident site continue earnestly and with hope.”
The ministry “sincerely thanks the numerous governments, nations and international organisations for their expressions of human emotion and solidarity with the government and people of Iran, as well as their offers of help and assistance for the search and rescue operation”.
Mr Raisi, 63, had been on the border with Azerbaijan to inaugurate the Qiz Qalasi and Khoda Afarin dams on the river Aras before he set off to return to Iran by helicopter.
The accident was originally reported near the city of Jolfa. Iran's Tasnim news agency later reported the crash as having happened near Uzi, further east within Iran.
Irna reported that the crash had taken place in the mountainous protected forest area of Dizmar near the town of Varzeqan, which was confirmed by the ministry.
Rescue teams were reportedly searching close to the nearby Sungun copper mine.
Turkey is sending 32 mountain rescue specialists to help Iran search for the helicopter, the government's emergency aid agency Afad said on Sunday.
The team and 32 vehicles have been sent from centres in eastern Turkey, Afad said in a post on X.
The EU on Sunday said it had activated its “rapid response mapping service” to help Iran search for the helicopter.
“Upon Iranian request for assistance, we are activating the EU's Copernicus EMS rapid response mapping service in view of the helicopter accident reportedly carrying the President of Iran and its Foreign Minister,” EU commissioner for crisis management Janez Lenarcic said on X
Other outlets initially gave conflicting versions of the incident, with Mehr claiming Mr Raisi had landed safely in Tabriz.
State TV broadcast prayers for Mr Raisi's safety from the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, as rescue teams could be seen travelling to the site in heavy fog.
Executive Vice President Mohammad Mokhber and other government officials departed for Tabriz after news of the accident emerged, the state-run Irna news agency reported.
But state media later denied a meeting of the Supreme National Security Council had taken place.
Drones and rescue teams were sent to the site, the head of Iran's Red Crescent told the Isna news agency.
The US State Department said it was “closely following” reports from Iran following the crash, and the White House confirmed President Biden was briefed on the incident.
The UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was following with deep concern media reports of the helicopter crash.
The office of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he was following reports with concern and hopes for the safety of Mr Raisi and his entourage.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani said he had instructed his country's Ministry of Interior and the Iraqi Red Crescent to assist in the search and rescue efforts.
Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev, who met Mr Raisi earlier on Sunday, said he was “profoundly troubled” by the reports of the crash.
“As a neighbour, friend and brotherly country, the Republic of Azerbaijan stands ready to offer any assistance needed,” he said in a post on X.
Countries including Russia, Saudi Arabia and Qatar also expressed their concern and offered assistance.
Iran has a poor aviation safety record, partly due to international sanctions making it difficult to acquire modern parts for aircraft.
Its military air fleet also largely dates back to before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The Aviation Safety Network has recorded 20 “incidents” across Iran in the past 10 years.
Mr Raisi, a hardliner who took office in 2021, had been touted as the potential successor to Mr Khamenei.
He previously served in the judiciary, including as prosecutor and deputy prosecutor for Tehran, and was put under US sanctions due to his involvement in the mass execution of thousands of political prisoners in 1988.
Although Mr Khamenei has the ultimate say in Iran, experts say the death or incapacitation of Mr Raisi could send his succession plan into disarray.
Jason Brodsky, policy director at United Against Nuclear Iran, said such a situation would “not change the fundamentals of Iran's regime policies” but had “the potential to shake Iran's succession system”.
“Raisi is also the most qualified person by virtue of bureaucratic experience to succeed Khamenei and has been the closest president ideologically to Khamenei since he took over as supreme leader,” he wrote on X.
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
More on Quran memorisation:
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
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Burnley v Huddersfield Town (7pm)
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Stoke City v Chelsea (7pm)
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Brighton and Hove Albion v Newcastle United (7pm)
Monday
Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion (11pm)
T20 World Cup Qualifier
October 18 – November 2
Opening fixtures
Friday, October 18
ICC Academy: 10am, Scotland v Singapore, 2.10pm, Netherlands v Kenya
Zayed Cricket Stadium: 2.10pm, Hong Kong v Ireland, 7.30pm, Oman v UAE
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Rameez Shahzad, Darius D’Silva, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zawar Farid, Ghulam Shabber, Junaid Siddique, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Waheed Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Zahoor Khan
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Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
WE%20NO%20LONGER%20PREFER%20MOUNTAINS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Inas%20Halabi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENijmeh%20Hamdan%2C%20Kamal%20Kayouf%2C%20Sheikh%20Najib%20Alou%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, second leg:
Liverpool (0) v Barcelona (3), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Game is on BeIN Sports
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
FA Cup semi-finals
Saturday: Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur, 8.15pm (UAE)
Sunday: Chelsea v Southampton, 6pm (UAE)
Matches on Bein Sports
Babumoshai Bandookbaaz
Director: Kushan Nandy
Starring: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bidita Bag, Jatin Goswami
Three stars
AGL AWARDS
Golden Ball - best Emirati player: Khalfan Mubarak (Al Jazira)
Golden Ball - best foreign player: Igor Coronado (Sharjah)
Golden Glove - best goalkeeper: Adel Al Hosani (Sharjah)
Best Coach - the leader: Abdulaziz Al Anbari (Sharjah)
Fans' Player of the Year: Driss Fetouhi (Dibba)
Golden Boy - best young player: Ali Saleh (Al Wasl)
Best Fans of the Year: Sharjah
Goal of the Year: Michael Ortega (Baniyas)
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.3-litre%204cyl%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E299hp%20at%205%2C500rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E420Nm%20at%202%2C750rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E10-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E12.4L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh157%2C395%20(XLS)%3B%20Dh199%2C395%20(Limited)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Fight Night
FIGHT NIGHT
Four title fights:
Amir Khan v Billy Dib - WBC International title
Hughie Fury v Samuel Peter - Heavyweight co-main event
Dave Penalosa v Lerato Dlamini - WBC Silver title
Prince Patel v Michell Banquiz - IBO World title
Six undercard bouts:
Michael Hennessy Jr v Abdul Julaidan Fatah
Amandeep Singh v Shakhobidin Zoirov
Zuhayr Al Qahtani v Farhad Hazratzada
Lolito Sonsona v Isack Junior
Rodrigo Caraballo v Sajid Abid
Ali Kiydin v Hemi Ahio
Match info
Huddersfield Town 0
Chelsea 3
Kante (34'), Jorginho (45' pen), Pedro (80')
Huddersfield Town permanent signings:
- Steve Mounie (striker): signed from Montpellier for £11 million
- Tom Ince (winger): signed from Derby County for £7.7m
- Aaron Mooy (midfielder): signed from Manchester City for £7.7m
- Laurent Depoitre (striker): signed from Porto for £3.4m
- Scott Malone (defender): signed from Fulham for £3.3m
- Zanka (defender): signed from Copenhagen for £2.3m
- Elias Kachunga (winger): signed for Ingolstadt for £1.1m
- Danny WIlliams (midfielder): signed from Reading on a free transfer
FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Day 1 results:
Open Men (bonus points in brackets)
New Zealand 125 (1) beat UAE 111 (3)
India 111 (4) beat Singapore 75 (0)
South Africa 66 (2) beat Sri Lanka 57 (2)
Australia 126 (4) beat Malaysia -16 (0)
Open Women
New Zealand 64 (2) beat South Africa 57 (2)
England 69 (3) beat UAE 63 (1)
Australia 124 (4) beat UAE 23 (0)
New Zealand 74 (2) beat England 55 (2)
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
