President Raisi's Instagram post urges Iranians to pray for him after helicopter crash

Tehran [Iran], May 19 : After Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's helicopter made a "hard landing," the Instagram post of the country's premier urged the people to 'pray' for him on Sunday, as Raisi's condition continues to remain unknown, according to CNN.

"We call on fellow countrymen to pray for the wellbeing of the President and companions," a story shared on Raisi's Instagram said.

Raisi's condition currently remains unknown, Iranian state news agency IRNA has reported, after the helicopter he was traveling in crashed in the country's East Azerbaijan Province.

According to Iran's Minister of Health Bahram Eynollahi, the scene where the helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi crashed on Sunday is extremely foggy, making it difficult for rescuers to locate, and conduct the search operation.

"We have set up treatment facilities. We are now in the area and all rescue forces are busy searching," Eynollahi said on state TV Sunday. "We have deployed all medical facilities, including emergency medicine, surgery and ambulance."

The Iranian military has been in the area of the crash since it was first reported, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri said, according to CNN.

"All the facilities, equipment and capacities of the army, the (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) and the police command are being used to provide relief and search for the helicopter of the president and his companions," Bagheri said.

The armed forces are also investigating the source of the crash, he said.

Meanwhile, Iran's Interior minister also confirmed, earlier today the "hard landing" of helicopter carrying President Raisi.

In an address to the national TV that one of the helicopters of the president's convoy had a hard landing, he said, "Various rescue groups are moving towards the site, but due to the fog and bad weather, it may take time to reach the area. The work is under control."

The local Iranian media have reported that it is heavily raining in the area in Varzaghan District and it is hard for the rescue and search teams to walk in the dense fog.

There is still no information on any injuries or damage from the earlier chopper crash that involved Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and high officials in northwest Iran.

On Sunday, as President Raisi was landing in the Varzaqan region after attending a ceremony to open a dam on Iran's border with Azerbaijan, his helicopter had a crash.

On board the chopper were Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, Hojjatoleslam Al Hashem, the head of the Friday prayer in Tabriz, Malek Rahmati, the governor of the province of East Azarbaijan, and several other people.

Rescue teams have reached the city of Jolfa in the northwestern Iranian province of East Azarbaijan and trying to locate the Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's helicopter which made hard-landing. The region is impassable and the fog has made search operations challenging. (ANI)