There was “no sign” of life among passengers of the helicopter carrying Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and other officials, Iran's state television said Monday.
“Upon finding the helicopter, there was no sign of the helicopter passengers being alive as of yet,” state TV reported, citing the Iranian Red Crescent Society head Pir Hossein Kolivand.
While it did not elaborate, the semi-official Tasnim news agency showed rescuers using a small drone to fly over the site, with them saying the same thing.
Semi-official news outlets declared the president dead on Monday morning, although no official confirmation was immediately provided.
Mehr news agency said the president, foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, and several other officials "had an accident while serving the people of Iran" and described them as martyrs.
An Iranian official also confirmed their deaths to Reuters.
“We can see the wreckage and the situation does not look good,” Mr Kolivand told state TV.
The helicopter crashed in the mountainous north-west region of Iran, in East Azerbaijan province, the day before.
State TV said the “hard landing” happened near Jolfa, a city on the border with the nation of Azerbaijan, about 600km north-west of the capital, Tehran.
Later, state TV put it farther east near the village of Uzi, but details remained contradictory.
State news agency IRNA said Mr Raisi was flying in a US-made Bell 212 helicopter.
The chief of staff of Iran's army ordered all resources of the army and the elite Revolutionary Guards to be put to use in search and rescue operations.
Iran's Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi confirmed that rescue teams had been sent to an area close to Iran's border with Azerbaijan.
Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, East Azerbaijan Governor Malik Rahmati and Mohammed Ali Ale-Hashem, the imam of Tabriz, were all also reportedly aboard the helicopter.
Two other helicopters travelling in the convoy landed safely.
Aerial search and rescue operations were suspended after heavy fog left helicopters unable to land.
“It’s a complicated area, and making contact is difficult. We are waiting for teams to reach the area for more information,” Mr Vahidi told state TV.
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iranians should pray for the missing leaders.
“Everyone should pray for the health of these people who are serving the Iranian nation,” Mr Khamenei said in a post on X.
“The nation doesn't need to be worried or anxious as the administration of the country will not be disrupted at all.”
An Iranian official told Reuters that the lives of Mr Raisi and Mr Amirabdollahian were “in danger”.
“We are still hopeful but information coming from the crash site is very concerning,” said the official.
Later overnight, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said: “Despite adverse weather and environmental conditions, efforts by rescue teams to reach the accident site continue earnestly and with hope.”
The ministry “sincerely thanks the numerous governments, nations and international organisations for their expressions of human emotion and solidarity with the government and people of Iran, as well as their offers of help and assistance for the search and rescue operation”.
Mr Raisi, 63, had been on the border with Azerbaijan to inaugurate the Qiz Qalasi and Khoda Afarin dams on the river Aras before he set off to return to Iran by helicopter.
The accident was originally reported near the city of Jolfa. Iran's Tasnim news agency later reported the crash as having happened near Uzi, further east within Iran.
Irna reported that the crash had taken place in the mountainous protected forest area of Dizmar near the town of Varzeqan, which was confirmed by the ministry.
Rescue teams were reportedly searching close to the nearby Sungun copper mine.
Turkey is sending 32 mountain rescue specialists to help Iran search for the helicopter, the government's emergency aid agency Afad said on Sunday.
The team and 32 vehicles have been sent from centres in eastern Turkey, Afad said in a post on X.
The EU on Sunday said it had activated its “rapid response mapping service” to help Iran search for the helicopter.
“Upon Iranian request for assistance, we are activating the EU's Copernicus EMS rapid response mapping service in view of the helicopter accident reportedly carrying the President of Iran and its Foreign Minister,” EU commissioner for crisis management Janez Lenarcic said on X
Other outlets initially gave conflicting versions of the incident, with Mehr claiming Mr Raisi had landed safely in Tabriz.
State TV broadcast prayers for Mr Raisi's safety from the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, as rescue teams could be seen travelling to the site in heavy fog.
Executive Vice President Mohammad Mokhber and other government officials departed for Tabriz after news of the accident emerged, the state-run Irna news agency reported.
But state media later denied a meeting of the Supreme National Security Council had taken place.
Drones and rescue teams were sent to the site, the head of Iran's Red Crescent told the Isna news agency.
The US State Department said it was “closely following” reports from Iran following the crash, and the White House confirmed President Biden was briefed on the incident.
The UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was following with deep concern media reports of the helicopter crash.
The office of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he was following reports with concern and hopes for the safety of Mr Raisi and his entourage.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani said he had instructed his country's Ministry of Interior and the Iraqi Red Crescent to assist in the search and rescue efforts.
Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev, who met Mr Raisi earlier on Sunday, said he was “profoundly troubled” by the reports of the crash.
“As a neighbour, friend and brotherly country, the Republic of Azerbaijan stands ready to offer any assistance needed,” he said in a post on X.
Countries including Russia, Saudi Arabia and Qatar also expressed their concern and offered assistance.
Iran has a poor aviation safety record, partly due to international sanctions making it difficult to acquire modern parts for aircraft.
Its military air fleet also largely dates back to before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The Aviation Safety Network has recorded 20 “incidents” across Iran in the past 10 years.
Mr Raisi, a hardliner who took office in 2021, had been touted as the potential successor to Mr Khamenei.
He previously served in the judiciary, including as prosecutor and deputy prosecutor for Tehran, and was put under US sanctions due to his involvement in the mass execution of thousands of political prisoners in 1988.
Although Mr Khamenei has the ultimate say in Iran, experts say the death or incapacitation of Mr Raisi could send his succession plan into disarray.
Jason Brodsky, policy director at United Against Nuclear Iran, said such a situation would “not change the fundamentals of Iran's regime policies” but had “the potential to shake Iran's succession system”.
“Raisi is also the most qualified person by virtue of bureaucratic experience to succeed Khamenei and has been the closest president ideologically to Khamenei since he took over as supreme leader,” he wrote on X.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
MATCH INFO
Sheffield United 3
Fleck 19, Mousset 52, McBurnie 90
Manchester United 3
Williams 72, Greenwood 77, Rashford 79
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
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heading
Iran has sent five planeloads of food to Qatar, which is suffering shortages amid a regional blockade.
A number of nations, including Iran's major rival Saudi Arabia, last week cut ties with Qatar, accusing it of funding terrorism, charges it denies.
The land border with Saudi Arabia, through which 40% of Qatar's food comes, has been closed.
Meanwhile, mediators Kuwait said that Qatar was ready to listen to the "qualms" of its neighbours.
The low down
Producers: Uniglobe Entertainment & Vision Films
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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Engine: 1.5L three-cylinder petrol, plus 11.6 kWh lithium-ion battery
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Zakat definitions
Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.
Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.
Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.
Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.
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Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk, Georginio Wijnaldum, James Milner, Naby Keita, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah, Joe Gomez, Adrian, Jordan Henderson, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Adam Lallana, Andy Lonergan, Xherdan Shaqiri, Andy Robertson, Divock Origi, Curtis Jones, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Neco Williams
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2/5
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
Schedule:
Pakistan v Sri Lanka:
28 Sep-2 Oct, 1st Test, Abu Dhabi
6-10 Oct, 2nd Test (day-night), Dubai
13 Oct, 1st ODI, Dubai
16 Oct, 2nd ODI, Abu Dhabi
18 Oct, 3rd ODI, Abu Dhabi
20 Oct, 4th ODI, Sharjah
23 Oct, 5th ODI, Sharjah
26 Oct, 1st T20I, Abu Dhabi
27 Oct, 2nd T20I, Abu Dhabi
29 Oct, 3rd T20I, Lahore
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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