Who will become Iran’s next president

As the search and rescue teams continue to look for the wreckage of the helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, attention is turning towards Vice President Mohammad Mokhber, the person next in line in the presidency.

According to the Iranian Constitution, in case of the president’s death or incapacity, the first vice president will take over and assume the functions of the president until an election is held within a maximum period of 50 days.

Unlike other countries, Iran’s first vice presidency is an appointed position – not an elected one. The vice president assumed some of the powers of the prime minister after the position was abolished in 1989.

There are several appointed vice presidents serving concurrently in Iran – they mostly work as cabinet members. But the office Mokhber holds is considered first among equals.

Raisi appointed Mokhber as his first vice president in August 2021, shortly after taking office. He is the seventh person to serve in that role since the revision of the constitution.

Before his appointment to the vice presidency, Mokhber served for 14 years as head of Iran’s Setad, a powerful economic conglomerate mostly focused on charitable causes.

Earlier, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash after a huge rescue effort was launched to find the 63-year-old and others on board. The helicopter carrying him and the country’s foreign minister crashed as it was crossing mountainous terrain in the northwest reaches of Iran on Sunday (May 19).

(With inputs from agencies)