Iran President dead LIVE: Mokhber becomes interim president, Ali Bagheri Kani appointed as foreign minister

After the demise of Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Iran picked a top negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani as the country’s Foreign Minister. In the past, Kani has led the Iranian delegations through indirect negotiations with the United States over nuclear issues and prisoner exchanges.

Iran’s Chief Nuclear Negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani leaves the Palais Coburg, the venue where closed-door nuclear talks take place in Vienna, Austria, August 4, 2022. REUTERS/Lisa Leutner

“Following the martyrdom of Hussein Amir Abdollahian, the Foreign Minister of our country, with the approval of the Cabinet Board, Ali Bagheri, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Foreign Affairs, was appointed as the acting minister of the ministry,” state news agency IRNA said.

The death of Iranian President Raisi was front and centre in every Iranian newspaper. Donya-e-Eqtesad, a daily Iranian newspaper, ran a photograph of Mr Raisi with the headline: “Farewell, Mr President.” Here’s a look at a sombre afternoon in Tehran.

Source: Reuters

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei announced five days of public mourning for President Ebrahim Raisi following his death in a helicopter crash and confirmed First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber as interim president until the country heads to polling.

“I announce five days of public mourning and offer my condolences to the dear people of Iran,” Khamenei said in a statement carried by the official news agency IRNA.

With this announcement, Iran now has a deadline of 50 days before a presidential election must be held to choose Raisi’s successor. “… Mokhber will manage the executive branch and is obliged to arrange with the heads of the legislative and judicial branches to elect a new president within a maximum of 50 days,” the Iranian Supreme leader added.

An Israeli official made it clear that the Jewish nation was not involved in the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian.

“It wasn’t us,” an official, who requested anonymity told Reuters. It is important to note that all indications currently are that the helicopter crashed because of bad weather and poor visibility.

Hours after the death of Raisi, local reports suggested that Iran declared five days of national mourning. This is what was said at the official announcement of the death of the President of Iran, the announcement was delivered at the shrine of Imam Reza.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Iran’s president Ebrahim Raisi had been a “true, reliable friend” of Russia. “In Russia, the president of Iran Ebrahim Raisi and the minister of foreign affairs of Iran Hossein Amir-Abdollahian were known as true, reliable friends of our country,” the Russian diplomat said in a statement on Monday.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian receives his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov at the foreign ministry headquarters in Iran’s capital Tehran in June 2022. Source: AFP

“Their role in strengthening mutually beneficial Russian-Iranian cooperation and trusting partnership is invaluable. We sincerely extend our condolences to the families and friends of the victims, as well as to the entire friendly people of Iran. Our thoughts and hearts are with you in this sad hour,” he added.

Iran-backed militant groups Hamas, the Houthis, and Hezbollah have sent condolences to Tehran over the death of the country’s President Ebrahim Raisi.

“Our deepest condolences to the Iranian people and the Iranian leadership,” Houthi senior official Mohamed Ali Al-Houthi said in a statement. “The Iranian people will continue to have leaders loyal to their people,” the statement further reads.

Hamas said it is extending “its sincere condolences, deep sympathy, and solidarity” to the supreme leader, “to the Iranian government, and to the brotherly Iranian people.”

“We are confident that the Islamic Republic of Iran will be able — with the help of Allah — to overcome the consequences of this great loss, as the dear Iranian people have strong institutions capable of dealing with this severe ordeal,” Hamas said.

Lebanon’s Hezbollah went on to refer to Raisi as “Big brother”. “Hezbollah in Lebanon extends its deepest condolences and feelings of sympathy for (Iran’s Supreme leader, Iranian officials and the Iranian people’s) loss,” a statement by the group said.

“We have known His Eminence the martyred president closely for a long time. He was to us a big brother, a strong supporter, and a staunch defender of our issues and the nation’s issues, most notably Jerusalem and Palestine, and a protector of the resistance movements.”

Expressing his shock over the demise of the Iranian president, External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar recalled his last meeting with Raisi.

“I was deeply shocked to hear the news of the death of Iranian President Dr Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian in a helicopter crash,” Jaishankar wrote on X, formally known as Twitter.

“I remember my many meetings with them, the last time was in January 2024. We offer our condolences to their families. We are with the Iranian people in this sad incident,” he added.

After it was confirmed that Iranian President Raisi passed away in the fatal helicopter crash, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared a day of mourning.

“Pakistan will observe a day of mourning and the flag will fly at half mast as a mark of respect for President Raisi and his companions and in solidarity with Brotherly Iran,” Shehbaz posted on X, formerly Twitter.

“I along with the government and people of Pakistan extend our deepest condolences and sympathies to the Iranian nation on this terrible loss,” he added. “The great Iranian nation will overcome this tragedy with customary courage.”

The screengrab from the video shared by the Tasnim News showed the final moments of Raisi who was onboard the helicopter that crashed in East Azerbaijan.

A screen grab from an IRIB via Tasnim News video shows Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on a helicopter in Iran on May 19

Shortly after it was confirmed that Iran’s President Raisi was killed in the fatal helicopter crash, Vice President Mohammad Mokhber led the emergency meeting of the Iranian cabinet Monday morning.

IRNA shared the visuals from the meeting.

The Iranian government has held an emergency meeting following the news that the wreckage of a helicopter carrying President Ebrahim Raisi was found in a remote region in Iran’s northwest. Source: IRNA

After the news of Raisi’s death was confirmed by the Iranian authorities, verses from the Quran were shared on his X profile. “Peace be upon Abraham. Thus we reward the doers of good. He is one of our faithful servants,” the Quranic verses read.

The Venezuelan President, Nicolás Maduro, expressed condolences after Raisi’s demise, saying that the Iranian president was an “unconditional friend” of Venezuela. “A heartfelt hug from the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. You, Iran, are an example of dignity, morality and resistance,” Maduro wrote in a social media post.

A screen grab from drone footage shows the wreckage of the helicopter that crashed in East Azerbaijan killing Iran’s President Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and seven others.

A frame grab from a video released by the Iranian Red Crescent on Monday shows the wreckage of the helicopter that was carrying President Ebrahim Raisi in East Azerbaijan province. Source: AFP

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X, formally known as Twitter to extend condolences after the demise of Raisi in the fatal helicopter crash. In the tweet PM Modi acknowledged Raisi’s contribution in bolstering the India-Iran ties. “Deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic demise of Dr. Seyed Ebrahim Raisi, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. His contribution to strengthening the India-Iran bilateral relationship will always be remembered,” the Prime Minister wrote on X.

“My heartfelt condolences to his family and the people of Iran. India stands with Iran in this time of sorrow,” he added.

Article 131 of the Iranian Constitution mandates that if the president of the country dies during his time in office, the first vice president shall assume the responsibility. However, Iran’s supreme leader will have the final say on the matter.

With the announcement of Raisi’s death, it is assumed that First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber would assume the role with the approval from Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

In addition to this, the constitution also stated that the three heads of the branches of government — the vice president, the speaker of the parliament and the head of the judiciary are obligated to arrange an election to choose a new leader within 50 days of the vice president assuming the role of acting president.

Mohammad Mokhber first vice president of Iran. Source: AFP

Fifteen hours after the crash and amid intense search, the Anadolu English reported on Monday that a Turkish Akinci UAV has identified a heat source suspected to be the wreckage of a helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and shared its coordinates with the Iranian authorities.

However, nothing can be said for sure until personnel on the ground confirm what the source of heat exactly is.