UN chief monitoring reports of Iranian helicopter crash with concern: Spokesman

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is monitoring reports regarding the crash of a helicopter carrying the Iranian President with concern, said a spokesman on Sunday.

"The secretary-general is following reports of an incident with Iranian President Raisi's aircraft with concern," Farhan Haq told Anadolu in a statement.

Haq said Guterres "hopes for the safety of the president and his entourage."

The helicopter carrying Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian reportedly made a hard landing due to weather conditions while returning from a dam inauguration ceremony on the Azerbaijan border.

The Iranian Red Crescent previously announced that the "crash" occurred between Kaleybar and Varzaqan. Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi said that rescue teams had not yet reached the area.

East Azerbaijan Deputy Governor Jabbarali Zakiri stated that two of the three helicopters in Raisi's convoy had landed, while one had crashed.

Rescue teams report that their efforts are being hampered by adverse weather conditions.