Following the tragic helicopter crash that claimed the life of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has declared five days of public mourning and confirmed Mohammad Mokhber, the first vice president, as the interim head of the executive branch. Raisi, along with the country’s foreign minister and several others, perished in the crash, according to state media reports.
Following Article 131 of the Constitution, which dictates that the first vice president assumes temporary presidency in the event of the president’s death, Mokhber has stepped into this role. The transition of power has been confirmed by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Who is Mohammad Mokhber?
Mohammad Mokhber, born on September 1, 1955, shares a close relationship with supreme leader Ali Khamenei, wielding significant influence within Iranian political circles. He assumed the position of first vice president in 2021, coinciding with Raisi’s presidency.
Mokhber’s involvement in negotiations with Moscow in October, which facilitated agreements to provide surface-to-surface missiles and drones to Russia’s military, underscores his importance in Iran’s diplomatic and strategic endeavors. Notably, this delegation included officials from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and the Supreme National Security Council.
Previously, Mokhber headed Setad, an investment fund linked to the supreme leader, and faced sanctions from the European Union in 2010 for alleged involvement in nuclear or ballistic missile activities. However, he was later removed from the list in 2012. Furthermore, in 2013, the US Treasury Department sanctioned Setad and its associated companies.
Established under an order by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Setad manages properties abandoned after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, directing proceeds towards charitable causes. Mokhber’s ascendancy to the interim presidency marks a pivotal moment in Iranian politics, as the nation navigates through the aftermath of President Raisi’s untimely death.