Daijiworld Media Network – Tehran
Tehran, Feb 24: Two military pilots and two civilians were killed after an army helicopter crashed into a fruit market in central Iran on Tuesday morning, state media reported.
The incident occurred in Dorcheh town in Isfahan province, where the army operates a major airbase. Visuals aired by state media showed charred wreckage at the crash site and emergency teams working to douse flames.
In a statement, the Army Aviation Training Centre identified the deceased pilots as Colonel Hamed Sarvazad and Major Mojtaba Kiani. The two were conducting a flight when the helicopter went down. Authorities said a technical fault is suspected, though investigations are ongoing.
Two merchants working at their stalls in the market were also killed when the aircraft crashed and caught fire.
Local judiciary chief Asadollah Jafari confirmed that a case has been registered and investigators have been dispatched to probe the incident. The Army Aviation Training Centre also stated that a detailed inquiry has been launched to determine the exact cause of the crash.
The accident comes less than a week after an Iranian Air Force fighter jet — reportedly a US-built F-4 model — crashed during a late-night training mission in Hamadan province. One pilot died while the other survived after ejecting safely. That crash too was attributed to a suspected technical malfunction.
Iran’s military aviation fleet, comprising ageing aircraft, has faced operational challenges amid decades of sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies, limiting upgrades and spare parts procurement. While Tehran has acquired some aircraft from Russia and is reportedly seeking advanced Su-35 fighter jets, deliveries have yet to materialise.
The helicopter crash also comes at a time of heightened tensions between Iran and the US ahead of fresh nuclear talks scheduled in Geneva later this week. Iranian officials have maintained that the country will not yield to external pressure even as Washington increases its military presence in the region.
In recent weeks, the US has deployed additional fighter aircraft and carrier strike groups, warning of potential action if negotiations over Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes fail. Tehran has ruled out discussions on its missile capabilities but indicated that a framework ensuring it will not pursue nuclear weapons could be negotiated.