Rescuers are searching for the helicopter that was carrying the president of Iran

In this photo released by the Iranian Presidency Office, President Ebrahim Raisi attends a meeting with his Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev during the inauguration ceremony of the dam of Qiz Qalasi, or Castel of Girl in Azeri, at the border of Iran and Azerbaijan on Sunday.

Iranian state media report that a helicopter carrying President Ebrahim Raisi and other high-ranking officials made a "hard landing" on Sunday. There is no immediate information on casualties.

The state-run IRNA news agency stated that the helicopter was transporting Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, and other senior officials, who went down in a mountainous area of northwestern Iran. The incident occurred as they returned from an event near Iran's border with Azerbaijan.

According to state media, two of the three helicopters reached their destination safely. However, search efforts are ongoing for the helicopter carrying Raisi.

Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi confirmed the "hard landing" and mentioned that search-and-rescue operations are in progress, as reported by IRNA.

"Various rescue groups are heading to the site, but the fog and bad weather may delay their arrival. The situation is under control," Vahidi said.

"We have made contact with [the president's] companions, but because the area is mountainous and establishing communication is challenging, we hope the rescue teams will reach the site soon and provide us with more information," he added.

IRNA reported that two passengers on the flight had communicated with rescue workers.

Rescue teams are searching for the helicopter.

IRNA reported that twenty rescue teams, including drones and dogs, have been sent to the scene, with the Iranian military also deploying troops to assist in the effort.

The Fars News Agency shared what it claimed to be video footage of rescue teams dispatched to the area where the helicopter made its "hard landing."

Earlier, the Iranian government's X account posted an image of President Raisi seated next to Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev at the opening of a dam along their shared border.

A post on Raisi's Instagram page asked supporters to pray for his health and the well-being of his fellow passengers.

Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, posted on X: "We pray that Almighty God will return our respected and esteemed President and his entourage safely to the nation." Khamenei also assured that the government would continue functioning amid the ongoing situation.

Raisi, a relative hard-liner, was elected in 2021.

Elected in 2021, Raisi is a former cleric and judge known for his hard-line stance compared to his predecessor, Hassan Rouhani.

Upon taking office, Raisi affirmed Iran's commitment to its nuclear deal with the U.S., despite former President Donald Trump's 2018 withdrawal from the agreement.

Last month, Raisi praised Iran's retaliatory attack on Israel following an airstrike in Damascus that killed seven members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. While Iran blamed Israel for the bombing, Israel did not claim responsibility and stated it intercepted 99% of the missiles and drones fired by Iran during the counterattack.

In Iran, the president leads the government, but the supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, holds the ultimate authority. Khamenei sets national policies, oversees their implementation, and controls the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the police force, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. The Iranian constitution states that if the president dies in office, the first vice president assumes the role with the supreme leader's approval, and a new election must be held within 50 days, as reported by Reuters.