A helicopter carrying Iranian President, Ebrahim Raisi, was involved in an incident during his visit to neighboring Azerbaijan.

According to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency, the incident happened near Jolfa, a city on the border with Azerbaijan, approximately 600 kilometers northwest of Tehran on Sunday, May 19, 2024.

President Raisi, along with Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, the governor of East Azerbaijan, and other officials, was aboard the helicopter.

“Some of the president’s companions on this helicopter managed to communicate with Central Headquarters, raising hopes that the incident might have ended without casualties,” the state agency reported.

The helicopter was part of a convoy of three helicopters. Two of the helicopters, carrying ministers and officials, arrived at their destination safely, according to Tasnim.

Rescue teams are on the way, though their efforts are hampered by poor weather conditions, including heavy rain, fog, and wind. The area is described as forested.

Ali Zakari, Deputy Governor for Development in East Azerbaijan, stated that he had not yet reached the accident site and lacked detailed information. Iran’s Red Crescent has sent rescue teams to the location as efforts to reach the crash site continue.

President Raisi was in the province to inaugurate a dam on the Aras River with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev. This visit follows recent tensions between Iran and Azerbaijan, exacerbated by a 2023 gun attack on Azerbaijan’s Embassy in Tehran and Azerbaijan’s diplomatic ties with Israel.