Who Is Next In Line To Become Iran's President?

COLOMBO (News 1st); Following the death of the Iranian President, Attention is turning towards Vice President Mohammad Mokhber, the person next in line in the presidency.

According to the Iranian Constitution, in case of the president’s death or incapacity, the first vice president will take over and assume the functions of the president until an election is held within a maximum period of 50 days.

Unlike other countries, Iran’s first vice presidency is an appointed position – not an elected one. The vice president assumed some of the powers of the prime minister after the position was abolished in 1989.

There are several appointed vice presidents serving concurrently in Iran – they mostly work as cabinet members. But the office Mokhber holds is considered first among equals.

Raisi appointed Mokhber as his first vice president in August 2021, shortly after taking office. He is the seventh person to serve in that role since the revision of the constitution.

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.

The organization, which is under the direct control of the Iranian supreme leader, is estimated to be worth tens of billions of dollars, according to a Reuters investigation.

Under Mokhber’s watch, Setad developed Iran’s coronavirus vaccine, Coviran Barekat, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic,but the effectiveness of the vaccine has been questioned, with reports of people suffering severe medical reactions after receiving it.