After the death of Iran's President: A nation prepares for transition

Report by Toni Mrad, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

What will happen following the death of the Iranian President and his accompanying delegation? Has Iran entered a period of instability, as suggested by Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid? Who will succeed Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi? Who will take over the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?

With the sudden death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and other officials in a helicopter crash in northwestern Iran, questions have arisen about the country's future. 

Initially, the Iranian authorities firmly stated that Raisi's death would not disrupt governmental operations and immediately began steps to fill the vacancies. 

According to Article 131 of the Iranian Constitution, First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber, a close associate of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has been appointed as the interim president, taking charge of the executive branch.  

Mokhber, along with the heads of the legislative and judicial branches, has up to 50 days to organize a presidential election, a process in which Khamenei will have significant influence.

Will the newly elected president serve a full term?

In the interim, the Iranian cabinet has appointed Deputy Foreign Minister and chief negotiator Ali Bagheri as acting foreign minister.

What comes next? Who will be elected as the new president within 50 days?

Bagheri appears to be a leading candidate for the permanent foreign minister role post-election, alongside Iran's UN envoy Amir Saeid Iravani.

As Iran navigates through this constitutional process, it carries the legacy left by Raisi and Abdollahian. During their tenure, diplomatic relations were restored with Saudi Arabia after a long rift and strengthened ties with other Arab nations, including Egypt and the UAE. 

Abdollahian also sought to revive US-Iran talks, which had stalled under former President Donald Trump's term. He succeeded in securing the release of frozen Iranian funds abroad in exchange for a prisoner exchange with the US. His final mission was aimed at preventing the expansion of the Israeli war in Gaza, with significant diplomatic efforts expected in Beirut this week.

Beyond the immediate succession of the president and foreign minister, Raisi's death has sparked speculation about the successor to the Supreme Leader.

Raisi, a conservative figure close to the Supreme Leader, was considered a potential successor to Khamenei. Now, with his passing, discussions about Khamenei's succession have intensified. 

Another name often mentioned is Khamenei's second son, Mojtaba Khamenei, though reports suggest his lack of administrative experience and the contentious nature of a hereditary succession could pose significant challenges.

While the succession of the Supreme Leader may not be imminent, the next 50 days will be crucial for Iran, filled with events and speculation as the nation prepares for transition after Raisi and Abdollahian.