Who will succeed Ebrahim Raisi as Iran’s President?

Following the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash which was announced today, Mohammad Mokhber is set to become the acting president of Iran per the constitution.

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As part of the procedures to deal with any vacancy of the presidency in Iran; Article 131 of the Iranian constitution stipulates that the Vice President assumes the functions of the President of the Republic and exercises his powers with the approval of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.

The article states that in the event of the death, impeachment, resignation, absence, or illness of the President of the Republic for more than two months, or in the event of the end of the presidential term and the failure to elect a new president due to obstacles or other similar circumstances, the Vice President assumes the functions of the President of the Republic and exercises his powers with the approval of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.

Currently, the Vice President of Iran is Mohammad Mokhber, and has served as such since the 2021 elections.

Article 131 also states that a body composed of the Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, the Head of the Judiciary, and the First Vice President of the Republic must work to make necessary arrangements for the election of a new president within a maximum period of 50 days.

The article adds that in the event of the death of the Vice President of the Republic or if he is unable to perform his duties due to other reasons, and likewise if the President of the Republic does not have a Vice President, the leadership appoints another person in his place.

In Article 132, the Iranian constitution clarifies that during the period when the First Vice President of the Republic, or another person appointed under Article 131, assumes the responsibilities of the President of the Republic and exercises his powers, ministers cannot be interrogated or lose confidence in them, and likewise, there can be no review of the constitution or issuance of a general referendum in the country.

Also Read: Iranian government says will it operate ‘without disruption' after President death

Earlier today, An Iranian Presidential Assistant announced the death of President Ebrahim Raisi following a plane crash in East Azerbaijan Province.

Iranian media reported on Monday that President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian died in a helicopter crash in the northeast of the country on Sunday evening.

Reuters cited an Iranian official confirming that President Raisi and his Foreign Minister were killed in the helicopter crash.

Iranian media indicated that an official announcement regarding the deaths of the president and his companions would be made shortly.

On Monday morning, the East Azerbaijan Army Commander confirmed that some of the helicopter passengers' bodies were burned beyond recognition.

The Commander of the Revolutionary Guard Corps in East Azerbaijan also noted that the Foreign Minister, the Governor of East Azerbaijan, and Khamenei's representative in the province were also aboard the helicopter.

Earlier on Monday, Iranian state television reported that "there was no sign of life" in the wreckage of the helicopter carrying President Raisi and other officials.

East Azerbaijan Province, located in the northwest of the Iranian plateau, is one of Iran's thirty-one provinces. Its capital is Tabriz, with Urmia as its central city. The province is bordered to the north by the Aras River, which separates Iran from Azerbaijan and Armenia, stretching 235 km.