Iran announces date for presidential election

Iran announced on Monday (May 20) that it would hold the country’s 14th presidential election on June 28, state media IRNA reported, following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi and his entourage in a helicopter crash.

The election date was determined in a meeting attended by Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber, currently assuming the presidency, Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, as well as Vice President for Legal Affairs Mohammad Dehqan and representatives of the Iranian Constitutional Council and Interior Ministry, the report said.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and some members of his accompanying team, including Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, were confirmed dead Monday morning as the wreckage of the helicopter carrying them was found following its crash in bad weather on Sunday near Varzaqan County, some 670 km away from Tehran.

According to Article 131 of Iran’s Constitution, the first vice president will take the helm of the executive branch if the president is unable to perform duties. Also, the interim president is duty-bound to make arrangements for the election of a new president within a maximum of 50 days.

During the meeting, the participants also set the schedule for the election processes, including the formation of executive delegations, the registration of candidates, and the launch of electoral campaigns, according to IRNA.

Based on the schedule, the registration would be conducted from May 30 to June 3, following which candidates would have to conduct electoral campaigns from June 12 to 27, the report said.

According to IRNA, the Constitutional Council has initially consented to the schedule.