TEHRAN - The Chief of Joint Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces has ordered an investigation into the causes of the helicopter crash that resulted in the martyrdom of President Ebrahim Raisi and his entourage.

General Mohammad Bagheri has appointed General Ali Abdollahi, the Armed Forces Deputy Chief of Staff, to lead a high-ranking delegation in thoroughly investigating the circumstances and causes of the tragic incident. 

This delegation is tasked with exploring all dimensions of the crash to uncover the underlying reasons behind the catastrophe.

A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi made a “hard landing” on Sunday during a visit to the country’s northwest, the national TV reported.

The incident occurred as a result of dense fog in the region, which is making conditions difficult for rescue teams, the TV said. 

The helicopter crashed close to a copper mine called Sungun. It’s located in between Jolfa and Varzaqan in the East Azerbaijan province of Iran and it’s roughly between 70km (43 miles) to 100km (62 miles) away from the city of Tabriz, one of the largest cities in Iran and also the city that the president of Iran and foreign minister were headed toward.

Following the incident, 40 separate rescue teams were dispatched to the forested and mountainous area.