Mokhber according to the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will resume duties with immediate effect
By Kehinde Okeowo
Iran Vice President, Mohammad Mokhber has been pronounced as the acting president by the Supreme Leader of the country, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
According to him, the vice president will begin to carry out the duties of the president with immediately effective.
“In accordance with Article 131 of the constitution, Mokhber is in charge of leading the executive branch,” said Khamenei in a statement, adding that the vice president will be required to work with the heads of legislative and judicial branches to prepare for presidential elections “within a maximum period of 50 days”.
The announcement comes barely 24 hours after President Ebrahim Raisi alongside his Minister of Foreign Affairs died in a helicopter crash.
ALSO READ: Iran President, Raisi, foreign minister die in helicopter crash
Early Monday, relief workers located the missing helicopter, with state TV saying the president had died.
“The servant of Iranian nation, Ayatollah Ebrahim Raisi has achieved the highest level of martyrdom whilst serving the people,” state television said Monday, with Mehr news agency also saying he was dead.
However, after his death was confirmed, members of Iran’s cabinet held an emergency meeting on Monday, where the verdict to make Mokhber the acting president was reached.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has already condoled Iranian government over the death of its president.