Iran is not calming down. Mass protests, economic crisis, a worsening conflict with Israel – and now the shocking news: the president is dead. President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian and several other inmates crashed a helicopter over mountainous terrain in bad weather in the northwest of the country on Sunday . After hours of searching, her death was confirmed on Monday.
In the midst of several days of national mourning, the president’s sudden death also throws into disarray the question of succession that has been simmering in the background: who will one day replace the 85-year-old head of state and religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Many had viewed Raisi as a possible successor to the most powerful man in the country.
After the helicopter crash, Raisi’s previous deputy, Mohammed Mochber, was appointed interim president. An early presidential election is scheduled to take place on June 28th. Observers then expect a dress rehearsal in which the various political factions will demonstrate their strength. An overview of the most important politicians striving forward.
New elections in Iran: A general with great ambitions
Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf’s presidential ambitions are no secret. The speaker of the parliament and former general of the powerful Revolutionary Guard began his political career almost 20 years ago as mayor of the capital Tehran. Many experts saw him as the next president even before Raisi’s death. Ghalibaf is considered a conservative opportunist, with support from the technocratic faction of the Revolutionary Guards, Iran’s elite military force. However, in this year’s parliamentary elections, Ghalibaf suffered a defeat in Tehran and only entered parliament in fourth place on the list.
The mysterious son of Khamenei
There are many rumors and speculations surrounding the political and religious legacy of religious leader Khamenei. A name that is often mentioned in this context is Moschtaba, Khamenei’s second eldest son. Little is known about the 55-year-old, who shies away from publicity. However, many Iranians believe that he already plays a major role in the background. However, experts believe it is unlikely that he will one day be chosen as a religious leader. The generation of revolutionaries of 1979 had overthrown a monarchy. It is hard to imagine that Khamenei would support a dynastic model for the transfer of power.
A chance for “national reconciliation”?
Although Hassan Rouhani is often seen in the West as a moderate reformist politician, he is a conservative in the classic sense. Many people in Iran, especially from the older generation, associate him with hope. It was his government that created a sense of optimism in 2015 with the Vienna nuclear deal. Rouhani also replaced the controversial presidency of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who recently returned to the public eye, sparking questions about a comeback.