TEHRAN, Monday, May 20, 2024 (WAFA) – After a night-long search operation hampered by bad weather, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and other top officials have been declared dead, according to Iran's official state media.

Raisi and other Iranian officials were returning from a ceremony to open the Qiz Qalasi Dam, located on the border of Iran and Azerbaijan, with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev when hree other helicopters were traveling with Raisi's aircraft, but lost contact before the crash.

Among those onboard were three crew members, the governor of Eastern Azerbaijan province, an imam, Raisi’s head of security chief and a bodyguard, according to IRGC-run media outlet Sepah.

Dozens of emergency rescue teams had been dispatched to the mountainous area in northwestern Iran’s East Azerbaijan province, where the incident took place on Sunday afternoon.

According to the Iranian Constitution, the first Vice President – Mohammad Mokhber – will now take over as the new president of the country for 50 days.

During this period, a high-powered council comprising the first vice president, the Speaker of Parliament and the chief of the judiciary have to make sure new elections are held.

K.T