Iran faces a transition as Mohammad Mokhber, the first vice president, is poised to step into the presidency following the tragic helicopter crash that claimed the life of President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.
According to Iran’s constitution, the first vice president assumes the presidency in the event of the president’s death, dismissal, resignation, extended absence, or illness. Raisi, who was nearing the end of his first term, leaves behind the task of interim leadership to Mokhber.
For this interim appointment to take effect, it requires the approval of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who holds the final authority over state matters. Presidential elections to elect a permanent successor must be held within 50 days, as per the constitutional mandate.
The process of organizing the national vote falls to a council comprising the parliament speaker, head of the judiciary, and the vice president. Mokhber, aged 68, assumed the role of vice president alongside Raisi in August 2021.
Born in Dezful city in Khuzestan province, Mokhber has held various official positions, including chairing the Execution of Imam Khomeini’s Order since 2007. This governmental organization manages properties confiscated after the 1979 Islamic revolution, evolving into a significant state economic conglomerate over the years.
Iran conducts presidential elections every four years, with a two-term limit for presidents. Unlike in some other countries, Iran does not have a prime minister. The president, assisted by several vice presidents, appoints and oversees the cabinet.
