Iran has scheduled its 14th presidential election for 28 June following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash over the weekend, state news agency IRNA reported on Monday.
President Raisi, along with eight others including Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, died when their helicopter crashed in north-western Iran due to bad weather. Vice President Mohammad Mokhber will serve as interim president as mandated by the constitution.
The crash occurred in the mountainous Varzaqan region near the Iran-Azerbaijan border while the officials were returning from a dam inauguration. Dense fog and reduced visibility contributed to the accident, according to Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi. Only one of the three helicopters in the convoy managed to return safely.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei assured the nation that state affairs would proceed without disruption. “Our people should not worry. There will be no interruption in the state affairs of Iran,” Khamenei stated.
Candidates for the presidency can register from 30 May, with the Guardian Council responsible for vetting the candidates. It is yet unclear whether Mokhber will run in the election.
The crash also claimed the lives of the Imam of Tabriz, Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Al-e-Hashem, and the Governor of East Azerbaijan Province, Malek Rahmati, among others. The government has announced that the election will be conducted within 50 days, as per the constitutional requirements.
Meanwhile, Turkey has announced a one-day state mourning as a mark of respect for Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his entourage who died in the helicopter crash.
