Ebrahim Raisi dies in helicopter crash, how succession works in Iran

A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the country’s foreign minister and other officials apparently crashed in the mountainous northwest reaches of Iran on Sunday, sparking a massive rescue operation in a fog-shrouded forest as the public was urged to pray.

As the sun rose Monday, Raisi and the others on board remained missing more than 12 hours after the likely crash, with Turkish drone footage suggesting the helicopter went down in the mountains. Rescuers rushed to the site.

While the whereabouts of the Iranian president are still not clear, a major question that begs attention is what will happen if the Iranian leader dies.

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Who is Ebramhim Raisi?

The hard-line religious cleric was born in the eastern city of Mashhad in 1960 to a devoutly religious family which was highly influenced by the fervour of Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.

At a very early stage of his career, Raisi was touted as a protégé of Ayatollah Khamenei and eventually climbed the ranks of the judiciary serving as the prosecutor in several cities.

Raisi eventually rose to one of the most powerful roles in government: head of the judiciary. There he managed to defend the ruling regime while persecuting the dissenters.

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During his tenure as the head of the judiciary, several human rights groups have linked him to politically motivated executions and unjust imprisonments. He was also accused of being part of a small committee that ordered the executions of thousands of political dissidents in 1988.

When asked about this allegation, Raisi said: “If a judge, a prosecutor has defended the security of the people, he should be praised. … I am proud to have defended human rights in every position I have held so far.”

In 2019, way before he became Iran’s president, the US Treasury imposed sanctions on Raisi for being a political appointee of the Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei. The 63-year-old was elected as the president of Iran in 2021.

What happens if Raisi dies?

While rescuers are still looking for the missing Iranian president, many believe that he might have died due to the fatal crash. This begs the question about what happens when Raisi dies.

According to Article 131 of the Islamic Republic’s constitution, if a president dies in office the first vice president will take over. However, the country’s supreme leader will have the final say on the matter. Dr Mohammad Mokhber is currently holding the post of Iran’s first vice president.

Following the appointment, a council consisting of the first vice president, the speaker of parliament and the head of the judiciary is obligated to arrange elections for the new president within the maximum period of 50 days. With Raisi’s whereabouts being unclear, the fate of Iran’s leadership remains uncertain.

With inputs from agencies.