May 20th 2024.
In a tragic turn of events, Ebrahim Raisi, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, lost his life in a helicopter crash in the northwest region of the country. This unfortunate incident has led to the appointment of Mohammad Mokhber, the first Vice President of Iran, as the acting President. Despite being relatively unknown in the political circle, Mokhber's responsibilities have now been thrust into the public eye as he takes over the role of caretaker President for the next 50 days, until the mandatory elections take place.
The announcement of Mokhber's appointment was made by Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a message of condolence for Raisi's death. The helicopter, which was carrying Raisi and his team, was found on Monday in the northwestern region of the country. While Mokhber may not have been a prominent figure in the public eye, he has held significant positions within Iran's power structure, particularly within the country's charitable foundations known as bonyads. These organizations were established after the Islamic Revolution in 1979 and are primarily funded by donations and assets seized from the previous regime.
Mokhber's most notable role has been as the head of the Execution of Imam Khomeini's Order (EIKO), a bonyad that has had a major presence in the Iranian economy and has been directly supervised by the Supreme Leader. In 2021, Mokhber was sanctioned by the US Treasury for violating the rights of dissidents by confiscating their property and assets. The European Union also imposed sanctions on Mokhber for his involvement in Iran's nuclear program. However, in recent times, Mokhber has been in the spotlight for his efforts to produce a COVID-19 vaccine during the height of the pandemic. Despite promising to make millions of doses, only a fraction of that was made available to the public, without any explanation.
Mokhber's previous roles have also included working in the banking and telecommunications sector, as well as at the Mostazafan Foundation, another bonyad that manages major projects and businesses in Iran. During his time there, Mokhber found himself caught in a legal dispute between two mobile service providers, Turkcell and South Africa's MTN, over entering the Iranian market. Turkcell alleged that Mokhber used his influence to secure a deal with MTN instead of them. However, MTN denied any involvement in arms transfers and admitted that Mokhber played a significant role in their entry into the Iranian market.
According to Iranian media reports, Mokhber has been instrumental in helping the country bypass Western sanctions on its oil industry. He has also been a member of Iran's Expediency Council since 2022, which advises the supreme leader and resolves conflicts between the parliament and the Guardian Council, the country's constitutional watchdog responsible for overseeing elections. Mokhber, who was born in 1955 to a clerical family, holds a doctorate in international law and served as an officer in the Revolutionary Guard's medical corps during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s.
While Mokhber's role in managing the patronage network and his close ties with the supreme leader may have earned him rewards, it has also come at a cost. As the acting President, Mokhber will have to navigate the challenges of leading the country during a time of political and economic uncertainty, and his actions will be closely watched by the Iranian people and the international community.
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