Iran’s president and foreign minister missing after helicopter crash

For hours, rescuers in Iran have been searching for a helicopter carrying President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, which has crashed in heavy fog.

State media says it came down in a forest in Iran’s mountainous East Azerbaijan province, as they returned from inaugurating a dam on the border with Azerbaijan.

Poor weather is hampering efforts to reach the site. The public has been urged to pray for those on board.