Iranian President Raisi Dies in Helicopter Crash, First VP to Take Over
Iranian President Ayatollah Ebrahim Raisi has died in a helicopter crash, state TV announced on Monday.
Rescue teams found the wreckage of Raisi’s helicopter in a fog-shrouded western mountain region. State TV showed pictures of Raisi as a voice recited the Koran, declaring that the Iranian leader had “achieved the highest level of martyrdom while serving the people.”
According to Article 131 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber will assume the presidency until a new election can be held. Mokhber is a close ally of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who holds ultimate authority in all state matters.
Mokhber was appointed as first vice president in 2021 when Raisi was elected president. He is considered a potential successor to Khamenei and is part of a three-person council that will oversee the presidential election.
Mokhber has a long history of involvement in Iranian politics and economics. He was previously head of Setad, an investment fund linked to the supreme leader. Setad was founded by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, and is tasked with managing properties that were abandoned during the chaotic years following the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Mokhber has also been on the receiving end of Western sanctions. In 2010, the European Union placed him on a list of individuals and entities sanctioned for alleged involvement in “nuclear or ballistic missile activities.” He was removed from the list two years later.
In 2013, the US Treasury Department sanctioned Setad and 37 companies under its control, adding them to a list of entities subject to sanctions.
The death of Raisi is a significant blow to Iran. He was a popular figure and seen as a potential successor to Khamenei. His death will likely lead to a period of uncertainty in Iran, as the country prepares for a new presidential election.
