World rushes to support Iran, as US watches closely
8 Min Read
Several countries offer their assistance to Iranian search and rescue missions following a difficult incident involving the President's helicopter.
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Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, left, and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi listen to their countries' national anthems during an official welcoming ceremony for al-Sudani at the Saadabad Palace in Tehran, Iran, on November 6, 2023. (Iranian Presidency Office)
Rescue teams continue to work on reaching the site where the helicopter carrying Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi and an accompanying delegation was forced to make a hard landing in a mountainous terrain in northwestern Iran.
In the meantime, the incident has garnered international attention.
#WATCH | Live footage from East Azerbaijan Province where rescue teams continue to search for the Iranian president's helicopter.#Iran https://t.co/C2WyQ4LQ58
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) May 19, 2024
The United States Department of State said that Washington is closely watching reports on the incident, a spokesperson said on Sunday, while the White House said that US President Joe Biden was briefed on the incident.
International partners, entities offer their support to Iran
Arab world
The Iraqi government instructed its Interior Ministry, the Red Crescent, and other relevant bodies to offer help to neighboring Iran and assist in the search and rescue operation.
The President of the Supreme Political Council in Sanaa, Mahdi al-Mashat, expressed his concern and affirmed that Yemen's people and leaders will stand side-by-side with the Iranian people and its leaders in these difficult times.
The Sultanate of Oman said it was following with great concern the disappearance of the Iranian President's helicopter and expressed its solidarity with Iran and its readiness to provide any support and assistance needed.
#عاجل /#سلطنة_عُمان تتابع بقلق بالغ حادثة اختفاء المروحية المقلّة لفخامة الرئيس الدكتور #إبراهيم_رئيسي رئيس الجمهورية الإسلامية الإيرانية ووزير الخارجية حسين أمير عبداللهيان وعدد من المرافقين، معربةً عن تضامنها ودعواتها واستعدادها لتقديم الدعم والمساندة.#العُمانية
— وكالة الأنباء العمانية (@OmanNewsAgency) May 19, 2024
The Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry also said it was "closely following with concern the reports regarding the helicopter carrying the Iranian president and his accompanying delegation," expressing "its wishes for their safety and its support for the Islamic Republic of Iran in this critical situation."
Saudi Arabia, through its Foreign Ministry, expressed its support for Iran and said it was ready to provide any assistance required. According to the Saudi state news agency, the Kingdom is following reports about the crash with "great concern".
Concurrently, the Qatari Foreign Ministry said that it is ready to make available all sorts of aid and support to Iran.
Joradn's Foreign Ministry also released a statement, saying that it is following with extreme concern the reports on the incident, adding that the country is ready to offer all types of necessary aid and support to the Islamic Republic of Iran.
On its part, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said that it is closely following the event, affirming its trust in the wisdom and capabilities of the Iranian government, leadership, and people who it believes will overcome this difficult situation. Damascus also reiterated its readiness to offer Tehran any necessary assistance.
The United Arab Emirates also expressed its willingness to assist Iran, while the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said it is closely following the developing events.
Lebanon's Foreign Ministry also expressed its concerns regarding the incident.
Regional
Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari said that the country is deeply concerned about the reports on the helicopter that was transporting the Iranian President, the Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and others.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry said it was following the developments on Sunday's Iran helicopter accident with sadness and hoping for the President's well-being, adding that action had been taken to provide all kinds of support to search and rescue activities.
"We hope that the Iranian officials, including Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, are safe and healthy," it said in a statement.
In this context, Turkey answered Iran's call for the deployment of night vision-capable drones to assist search and rescue efforts.
The Turkish emergency committee sent six vehicles and 32 experts to assist Iranian search and rescue efforts in the mountainous Province of East Azerbaijan.
On his part, the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said that he is extremely saddened by the incident, adding that Turkish authorities are coordinating efforts with their Iranian counterparts.
Meanwhile, the Armenian Foreign Ministry said that the country was shocked after being informed of the reports of the incident and that it was ready to offer whatever support is needed to Iran.
The helicopter was carrying the Iranian President and an accompanying delegation as part of a three-helicopter convoy from Azerbaijan.
Earlier on Sunday, Raisi had arrived at Tabriz Airport to participate in the inauguration ceremony of the joint Qiz Qalasi dam on the Aras River, which borders Iran and Azerbaijan, in the presence of his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev. On that point, Aliyev also expressed his concerns regarding the reports.
On her part, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova was quoted by the state-owned Russian news agency RIA Novosti as saying, "Russia is ready to extend all necessary help in the search for the missing helicopter and the investigation of the reasons for the incident."
Palestine
In Palestine, several Palestinian Resistance factions have expressed their solidarity with the Iranian government and people, seeing that Raisi and his foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, have been some of the most profound supporters of the Palestinian cause.
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) said in a statement that it received with extreme concern the news of Sunday's incident in Iran. The movement expressed its full solidarity with the Iranian people, government, and leadership, wishing that the personnel involved in the incident return safely.
On its part, the Islamic Resistance Movement - Hamas said it was following with concern the developments of the emergency landing. Hamas described the event as "painful", expressing its full solidarity with Iran and hoping that those involved in the incident return safely.
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine's (PFLP) Arab and National Relations chief, Abu Ahmad Fouad, said, "Iran's people and leadership are cherished by Palestinians."
The PFLP also expressed its full solidarity with the Islamic Republic's leader, Sayyed Ali Khamenei, and the Iranian people.
Latin America
Over in Latin America, Venezuela's Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto revealed that President Nicolas Maduro is following the events of the incident closely, keeping up with official information issued by Iranian authorities.
El Presidente @NicolasMaduro está siguiendo de cerca los acontecimientos relacionados con el vuelo accidentado del helicóptero del Presidente de la República Islámica de Irán, Ebrahim Raisi, según las informaciones oficiales que se han emitido desde este hermano país.
— Yvan Gil (@yvangil) May 19, 2024
El pueblo…
"The Bolivarian people and Government are praying that the rescue teams will soon be able to return home, safe and sound, all the occupants of the Iranian presidential aircraft," the Foreign Minister added.
Expressing "dismay" by the news, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel expressed solidarity with the Iranian leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei and the people of the Islamic Republic of Iran and extended "best wishes and hopes that President Raisi and his companions will be located safe and sound."
Consternados por las noticias, expresamos al Líder Supremo Ayatolá Ali Khamenei y al querido pueblo de la República Islámica de Irán, nuestra solidaridad y los mejores deseos y esperanzas de que sean localizados sin afectación a su salud el Presidente Raisi y sus acompañantes. pic.twitter.com/tXIzt3iqwa
— Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez (@DiazCanelB) May 19, 2024
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodrgues also expressed solidarity with the people and leadership of Iran and extended wishes for the safe return of Iranian President Ebrahimi Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.
Toda nuestra solidaridad, mejores deseos y esperanzas al querido pueblo de la República Islámica #Irán, al Líder Supremo Ayatolá Ali Khamenei, al Presidente Ibrahimi Raisi y al Canciller Hossein Abdollahian. pic.twitter.com/NlccLDtlNC
— Bruno Rodríguez P (@BrunoRguezP) May 19, 2024
UN
A UN spokesperson said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "is following reports of an incident with Iranian President Raisi's aircraft with concern. He hopes for the safety of the president and his entourage."
European Commission activates satellite to assist in rescue effort
On its part, the European commissioner for crisis management said that the European Commission is activating a satellite mapping service to aid search efforts after Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's helicopter, following a request for assistance from Iran.
The European Commission's Copernicus Emergency Management Service provides mapping products based on satellite imagery.
Crisis management commissioner Janez Lenarcic said on X that the service was activating its "rapid response mapping service in view of the helicopter accident."
The Iranian TV said that the hard landing occurred due to adverse weather conditions, adding that injuries and deaths among the passengers cannot be confirmed at this point.
Read more: Copter carrying Iran's President makes hard landing in East Azerbaijan
Iranians, supporters pray for the safety of the President
Pilgrims visiting the shrine of Imam Reza in Iran’s northeastern city of Mashhad started a ceremony to pray for the health and safety of President Ebrahim Raisi and his accompanying delegation.
They recited prayers for the safety of President Raisi and other senior Iranian officials.
#ایران کے شہر مشہد میں امام رضا کے روضے پر ایرانی صدر ابراہیم #رئیسی کے لیے خصوصی دعائیں
— ترکیہ اردو (@TurkiyeUrdu_) May 19, 2024
ایرانی صدر کے ہیلی کاپٹر حادثے پر ریسکیو آپریشنز کا سلسلہ جاری ہے
ایرانی میڈیا کے مطابق حادثہ آذربائیجان کے سرحدی شہر جولفا میں پیش آیا۔#iran #EbrahimRaisi pic.twitter.com/XcpMbq050Q
Others took to social media to express support and make prayers.
دو روز تو مشهد چه خبر بود تو روز روشن آسمون تاریک میشد، سیل و تگرگ و زخمی و مردن کبوترا و یاکریما حالام شب میلاد ناپدید شدن رئیس جمهور و همراهانشون و این همه بی خبری و دل نگرانی.. 💔 pic.twitter.com/ZLRDRbnN9A
— رویا رحیمی🇮🇷 (@R0yaRahimi) May 19, 2024
I hope the President and the Foreign Minister of Iran🇮🇷are safe.
— Hu Xijin 胡锡进 (@HuXijin_GT) May 19, 2024
President Raisi just visited Azerbaijan and together with President of Azerbaijan, they inaugurated a dam on the border between the two countries. Then he returned to Iran by helicopter, and FM Abdollahian, was… pic.twitter.com/orE7l7cxqu
In the meantime, Iranians and supporters of the Iranian President continue to pray for his safety and the safety of the accompanying delegation.
Please pray for Jenab Ebrahim Raisi [@raisi_com], a true supporter of Palestine and the oppressed people of the world.
— Sajjad Kargili | سجاد کرگلی (@SajjadKargili_) May 19, 2024
Reports indicate that he has been missing for the past two hours following the premature landing of his helicopter. pic.twitter.com/SPoMkMnfzL
Social media users expressed their heartfelt messages to Iran's President, wishing that the search and rescue operation would be successful and that the President and others be safely recovered.
Some miracle will happen ! 💫
— Dr. Alyan Yashin (@DrAlyanYashin) May 19, 2024
Let's pray 🙌 for the safety and security of the #Iran’s President #Raisi and others accompanying him !
Azerbaijan is #military very strong and it's good friendship with Iran, plays against #Israel's will, which is an old friend of #Azerbaijan. pic.twitter.com/VY4zkZacdD
