Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi dies in helicopter crash

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, 63, and his foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, died when their helicopter crashed as it was crossing mountain terrain in heavy fog near the Iran-Azerbaijan border while returning to Tabriz after inaugurating a dam project with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

According to officials, communication was lost approximately 30 minutes into the flight, prompting immediate concern and a search and rescue operation involving over 60 teams. State news agency IRNA said Raisi was flying in a U.S.-made Bell 212 helicopter.

In addition to the president and foreign minister, also on board were Ayatollah Mohammad Ali al e Hashem, the imam for Friday prayers in the city of Tabriz, and General Malek Rahmati, the governor of the Iranian province of East Azerbaijan.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged people to be calm and assured that there would be ''no disruption in the country's governance.''

The international community had expressed concern and offered assistance. Neighboring countries and organizations, including Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Russia, Turkey, and the European Union, have pledged support.

"The supporter of the world's oppressed, the servant of the people of Iran, Ayatollah Dr. Seyed Ebrahim Raisi, the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, was martyred on the way to serving the people," the Iranian Government wrote on X.