News - Yemen: The head of the National Delegation, Mohammed Abdulsalam, expressed regret over the incident involving the Iranian President's helicopter and his entourage while returning from Azerbaijan.

"We deeply regret the painful incident that befell the Iranian President's helicopter," Abdulsalam said in a post on X Sunday evening.

"Our hearts are with the Muslim Iranian people in this ordeal, as they await the hopeful and safe return of their President, Foreign Minister, and their entourage," he added.

The helicopter was transporting President Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and several other officials when it encountered difficulties and was forced to make a "hard landing."

The incident happened at Dizmar forest, between the cities of Varzaqan and Jolfa. President Raeisi was returning from a ceremony to inaugurate a dam on the Aras River with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev.

An extensive search and rescue operation is underway to locate the site of the incident. Harsh weather conditions and the region's rugged terrain are hampering the rescue efforts.