Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian died in a helicopter crash last night. The aircraft, carrying several top officials, went down while crossing mountainous terrain in heavy fog as it was enroute to Tabriz following the inauguration of the Qiz Qalasi Dam on the Iranian-Azerbaijani border.
Under the Iranian constitution, the death of a sitting president triggers specific protocols. First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber, 69, will assume the presidency in an interim capacity.
Who is Mohammad Mokhber
Mohammad Mokhber, a seasoned political figure with close ties to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has significant influence within the regime. He formerly headed Setad, a powerful state-owned foundation, and holds advanced degrees in international law and management.
Mohammad Mokhber, born on September 1, 1955, is deeply entrenched in Iran’s political and economic spheres. He became first vice president in 2021 after Ebrahim Raisi was elected.
Mokhber’s tenure at Setad, an organisation initially created to manage properties confiscated after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, has been marked by controversy and sanctions.
In 2010, the European Union included Mohammad Mokhber in a sanctions list for his alleged involvement in nuclear and ballistic missile activities, although he was removed from the list two years later.
In 2013, the US Treasury Department sanctioned Setad and 37 companies under its control. Setad, formally known as Setad Ejraiye Farmane Hazrate Emam (the Headquarters for Executing the Order of the Imam), was established by an order from Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to manage properties purportedly abandoned during the period following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, with proceeds intended for charitable purposes.
According to Reuters, Mohammad Mokhber was part of a team of Iranian officials who visited Moscow in October last year and agreed to supply surface-to-surface missiles and more drones to Russia’s military. The delegation also included two senior officials from the Revolutionary Guards and an official from the Supreme National Security Council.
The sudden death of Ebrahim Raisi, who was seen as a close but uncharismatic ally of Khamenei, could significantly alter the balance of power within Iran. Besides Mohammad Mokhber, other contenders may emerge, including Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, who has long harboured presidential ambitions. However, Qalibaf, a technocrat with a history of corruption allegations, might face a challenging path to securing the presidency.
How will the new President of Iran be selected
A council consisting of Mohammad Mokhber, Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, and Judiciary Chief Ghollamhossein Mohseni Ezhei is tasked with organising a new presidential election within 50 days.
This transition must be approved by Supreme Leader Khamenei, who reassured the nation that state affairs would continue without disruption.
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