Iran’s first Vice President Mohammad Mokhber has been appointed as the acting president of the Islamic Republic following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash. Mokhber, who has largely been in the shadows compared to other politicians, is expected to serve as caretaker president for approximately 50 days before mandatory presidential elections in Iran. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei announced Mokhber’s appointment in a condolence message after the crash. Despite his low-key public profile, Mokhber has held important positions within Iran’s power structure, particularly in charitable foundations known as bonyads.
Mokhber was previously in charge of a bonyad called the Execution of Imam Khomeini’s Order (EIKO), which oversees billions of dollars in assets and has significant stakes in various sectors of the Iranian economy, including energy, telecommunications, and financial services. The organization has been accused of violating the rights of dissidents by confiscating land and property from opponents of the regime. The European Union and the U.S. Treasury have imposed sanctions on Mokhber for his involvement with EIKO, particularly in relation to concerns about Iran’s nuclear program. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mokhber oversaw an effort to develop a vaccine, although only a fraction of the promised doses were made available to the public.
Mokhber has a background in banking and telecommunications and previously worked at the Mostazafan Foundation, another bonyad that manages large-scale projects and businesses in Iran. He was involved in a legal dispute between mobile phone service providers Turkcell and MTN over entering the Iranian market, with MTN eventually establishing a presence in the country. Iranian media reports suggest that Mokhber played a crucial role in helping Iran bypass Western sanctions on its oil industry. He has also been a member of Iran’s Expediency Council since 2022, advising the supreme leader and settling disputes between parliament and the Guardian Council.
Born in 1955 in Dezful, Iran, to a clerical family, Mokhber served as an officer in the Revolutionary Guard’s medical corps during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s. His educational background includes a doctorate in international law. Mokhber’s sudden rise to the position of acting president following Raisi’s death has brought him into public view, shedding light on his past roles within Iran’s power structure. As Iran prepares for mandatory presidential elections within the next few months, Mokhber’s tenure as caretaker president will be closely watched both domestically and internationally.
