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Iran president chopper incident

Search-and-rescue operations are underway to reach the site of a missing helicopter carrying the Iranian President in the northwestern part of the country. A commander of Iran’s Revolution Guards Corps now confirms the detection of a heat source which is believed to be the wreckage of the helicopter. For over 12 hours, rescue teams have been combing the mountainous area near the city of Varzaqan in East Azarbaijan province. However, foggy and rainy weather conditions are hindering their efforts to find President Ebrahim Raeisi and an accompanying delegation that included Foreign Minister Hossien Amir-Abodllahian among others. The Iranian President and his companions were heading to the city of Tabriz after returning from the border with Azerbaijan where Raeisi and his Azeri counterpart inaugurated a dam.

Reactions to Raeisi copter incident

The Iranian president’s helicopter incident has stirred a chorus of sympathetic reactions from around the world, including from a number of heads of state. Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid, in a phone call with the Iranian Vice President, wished well-being for Ebrahim Raeisi. Separately, the Iraqi National Security Advisor said his country stands by the Iranian people and leadership. The Turkish President has reacted as well, expressing profound sadness. The Azeri President and the Pakistani Prime Minister expressed concern over the incident. Armenia and Russia have also expressed readiness to provide necessary assistance in the rescue operation. The Foreign ministries of the UAE and Kuwait declared their countries' readiness to help Iran in search and rescue operations. The UN chief also hoped for the safety of the Iranian president and his entourage. There have been reactions from Palestinian resistance movements as well. In separate messages, Hamas and Islamic Jihad prayed for the safety of Raeisi, Amir-Abdollahian and others onboard the missing helicopter.

Israeli onslaught on Gaza

More civilians have been killed by Israeli strikes in the central parts of the Gaza Strip on day 227 of the US-Israeli genocide. At least 70 people have been killed in the past 24-hours. The latest Israeli strikes targeted residential areas in Jabalia and Khan Yunis. Many of the people killed were children again. The Israeli military says it has struck over 70 targets across Gaza since Friday. On the ground, heavy fighting is underway in Rafah and Jabalia. The al-Qassam Brigades says it has targeted the city of Sderot in the southern occupied territories as well as Israeli troops in Gaza’s Jabalia. The group also downed an Israeli helicopter. The death toll from over seven months of the genocidal war on Gaza is now nearly 35,500.

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