President Raisi, FM Amir-Abdollahian Confirmed Dead In Helicopter Crash

First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber convened an emergency meeting of the cabinet after Iranian state media confirmed that President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and other passengers have died in a helicopter crash in the province of East Azerbaijan. Tasnim News Agency reported that the bodies of the victims have been retrieved and were being taken to the provincial capital of Tabriz.

• The constitution stipulates that following the death of the President, First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber will assume his duties, while a special council will be entrusted with arranging an election within the next 50 days.
• It is worth noting that the Iranian President is a head of government, while it is the Supreme Leader (current lifetime officeholder is Ali Khamenei) who is the head of state and the highest political and religious authority in the country.
• However, Khamenei's advanced age has given rise to speculation surrounding his most likely successor, with Raisi mentioned as one of the front-runners. The next leader will be chosen by the Assembly of Experts after the death of the incumbent.
• Raisi took office in 2021 after a controversial election in which he stood as a relative hardliner among his competitors. He presided over a crackdown on mass protests in 2022 as well as his country's decision to provide arms to Russia.