Ebrahim Raisi killed in a crash, Mokhber turn acting Iranian President

The Iranian government has confirmed the death of President Ebrahim Raisi, its foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and seven other people in a helicopter crash on 19 May 2024.

The helicopter carrying the President crashed into the mountainous region of Varzeghan, near the village of Uzi, in Iran's East Azerbaijan Province. President Raisi was returning back after participating in a ceremony to open a dam on Iran’s border with Azerbaijan.

The Indian government has expressed its condolences on the death of Ibrahim Raisi and has announced a day of mourning on 21 May 2024.

Vice-President Dhankar to represent India at the Funeral 

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar will represent India at Ebrahim Raisi's funeral, which will be held on 22 May at Tehran University. The funeral will be led by Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Mohammad Mokhber appointed as acting President of Iran

According to Iran's constitution, in case of the president's death, the vice president assumes the office until a new President is elected. Hence, Iranian vice president Mohammad Mokhber has taken charge as the acting president of Iran.

Acting Foreign Minister - Ali Bagheri Kani has been appointed as the acting foreign minister of Iran after the death of Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

Election for New President in Iran

The Iranian constitution provides that in case of a vacancy in the office of the president, the vice president assumes the president's office as acting president. The vice president, speaker of the parliament, and head of the judiciary are responsible for conducting the election within 50 days after the acting president assumes office. The supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, made the acting president, Mokhber, responsible for organising elections for a new president.

Who was Ebrahim Raisi

The 63-year Iranian leader was considered the successor to Iran’s Supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Ebrahim Raisi had a judicial background and was considered a hardline religious conservative leader.

He was elected as the eighth president of Iran in 2021. He was the president when protests broke out in the country over the death of Mahsa Amin while in custody of Iran’s morality police. In conservative Iran it is mandatory for women to wear hijab in public. Mahsa Amin had refused to wear the mandatory hijab in public.  She was arrested by Iran’s morality police and died in custody. This incident sparked a nationwide protest against the wearing of hijab and in support of women’s rights.

The Raisi government led a brutal crackdown on public protest, including the execution of the protestors. The United Nations termed the Iranian government crackdown as a crime against humanity. 

Raisi was also an outspoken critic of the Israeli attack on Gaza after the Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked Israel in October.

Government structure in Iran 

Iran is a Shia Muslim-dominated country. Islam has two main sects, the Shia and Sunni. Sunni dominates almost all of the Muslim world. Shia, who are a minority amongst the Muslims, are in the majority in Iran, Iraq, Bahrain and Azerbaijan. Iran considers itself as the leader of the Muslims, especially the Shite Muslims. After the Islamic Revolution in 1979, the Iranian constitution provided for a mixed governance system in which the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the government are overseen by bodies dominated by Shia clergy. The head of the clergy is called as supreme leader. Ayatollah Khomeini, credited for the 1979 Iranian Islamic revolution, was the first supreme leader of Iran.

Assembly of Experts (Majles-e Khobregān)

The Assembly of Experts (Majles-e Khobregān) is composed of experts in Islamic jurisprudence who choose the leader from among qualified Shia clergy. The leader has wide power. The leader appoints senior military and Revolutionary Guard officers and judiciary members. The leader has the power to declare war and is the commander in chief of Iran’s armed forces.

The supreme leader also sets the general direction of the nation’s policy. There are no limits on the leader’s term in office, but the Assembly of Experts may remove the leader from office if they find that he cannot execute his duties. 

The Assembly elected Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as the supreme leader after the death of Ayatollah Khomeini in June 1989.

President of Iran 

The president, who is elected by universal adult suffrage, heads the executive branch and must be a native-born Iranian Shia. The president's term is four years and can be re-elected. The president selects the Council of Ministers. 

Islamic Republic of Iran 

Capital: Tehran 

Currency: Iranian Rial