First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber is now expected to become interim president following Raisi’s death.
Born in 1955, Mokhber – like Raisi – is seen as being close to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who has the last say in all matters of state.
Shortly after taking office, Raisi appointed Mokhber as his first vice president in August 2021.
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.
In 2010, the European Union included Mokhber on a list of individuals and entities it was sanctioning for alleged involvement in “nuclear or ballistic missile activities”. Two years later, it removed him from the list.
A council that includes Mokhber, the speaker of parliament, and the head of the judiciary must now arrange an election for a new president within 50 days at the earliest.
