Following the confirmation of Iranian President Raisi’s death in a tragic helicopter crash, Iran will witness Vice President Mohammad Mokhber assuming the role of presidency with the approval of the supreme leader, as stated in Article 131 of the Islamic Republic’s constitution.
According to the article, the selection of a new president must be coordinated by a council comprising the head of the legislation, the head of the judiciary, and the vice president. This process needs to be completed within a time frame of 50 days.
In a statement released on Monday, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei invoked the article and appointed Mokhber as the acting president.
According to a statement, Mr. Mokhbar is responsible for managing the executive branch and is required to coordinate with the heads of the legislative and judicial branches to select a new president within a timeframe of up to fifty days.
The Guardian Council, which is in charge of conducting elections in the country, has announced that the upcoming president will serve a full four-year term, rather than just completing the remainder of Raisi’s term.
“The president who will commence a 4-year term is the elected president in the upcoming election,” announced Hadi Tahan Nazif, spokesperson of the council, as reported by the official Fars News Agency.
Ibrahim Raisi emerged victorious in the 2021 election, securing his position as the eighth president of the Islamic Republic.
The regime views the low turnout as a crucial factor in validating its legitimacy. The recent presidential election saw a turnout of 48.8%, marking the lowest voter participation since the 1979 revolution.
Experts believe that Raisi’s death could potentially create a crisis for Iran’s leadership, given the sensitivities surrounding the succession of Supreme Leader Khamenei, who holds the ultimate power in the theocratic regime.
“In Iran’s political culture, which is known for its conspiratorial nature, there are few who would believe that Raisi’s death was accidental,” stated Karim Sadjadpour, a senior fellow with the Carnegie Endowment think tank, on Sunday.
Mokhber wasted no time in making his mark as the acting president by appointing Ali Bagheri Kani as the acting foreign minister.
Bagheri Kani, a relative of the supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei, served as the deputy foreign minister to the late foreign minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian. Tragically, Abdollahian lost his life in the helicopter crash along with President Raisi.
Bagheri Kani played a crucial role as a member of the negotiating team in the unsuccessful talks to resurrect the Iranian nuclear deal with the world powers, commonly referred to as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Bagheri Kani criticizes the former negotiating team that signed the original JCPOA with the world powers, noting that the deal disregarded several important Iranian red lines. His perspectives closely align with those of the supreme leader.
