INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
minister have survived a helicopter crash in mountainous terrain and icy weather, an Iranian official said on Monday after search teams
found at the crash site of the downed helicopter.Rescue teams fought blizzards and difficult terrain through the night to reach the wreckage
Red Crescent, Pirhossein Kolivand, told state TV.Raisi, 63, was elected president in 2021, and since taking office has ordered a tightening
of morality laws, overseen a bloody crackdown on anti-government protests and pushed hard in nuclear talks with world powers.A Turkish drone
authorities, Anadolu news agency said earlier on X.State news agency IRNA said Raisi was flying in a U.S.-made Bell 212 helicopter.Iranian
and the elite Revolutionary Guards to be put to use in search and rescue operations.Earlier, the national broadcaster had stopped all
regular programming to show prayers being held for Raisi across the country.In the early hours of Monday, it showed a rescue team, wearing
President Joe Biden had been briefed on reports about the crash
China said it was deeply concerned
The European Union offered emergency satellite mapping technology.HARDLINER, POSSIBLE SUCCESSOR TO KHAMENEIThe crash comes at a time of
growing dissent within Iran over an array of political, social and economic crises
since 1989, who holds decision-making power on all major policies.For years many have seen Raisi as a strong contender to succeed Khamenei,
of hardliners, after eight years when the presidency had been held by pragmatist Hassan Rouhani and a nuclear deal negotiated with powers
rescue.Source: Reuters--Agencies
