Tag: Iranian President

  • After Raisi’s funeral, Iran’s focus turns to vote for successor

    After Raisi’s funeral, Iran’s focus turns to vote for successor

    After Iran mourned President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a recent helicopter crash, the nation’s focus turns to an election next month for his successor, with the conservative camp seeking support from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

    The lead-up to the early vote on June 28 has opened up the field to a broad range of hopefuls from all political parties. The big question for them is how many candidacies will survive the vetting process in the Islamic republic.

    President Raisi, who had more than a year left of his first term, died on May 19 alongside his foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and six others when their helicopter crashed into a fog-shrouded mountainside.

    They were laid to rest in multi-day funeral rites drawing mass crowds of mourners.

    Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf (R) greets lawmakers during the inauguration session for the new Parliament in Tehran on May 27, 2024. — AFP

    The June vote will be held during a turbulent time, as the Gaza war rages between Israel and Hamas, and amid continued diplomatic tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme.

    Khamenei, who has the final say in all matters of state, has assigned Raisi’s vice president, Mohammad Mokhber, 68, to assume interim duties for the next few weeks and organise the June election.

    Among other hopefuls, former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili was one of the first to announce his candidacy.

    Other contenders include moderate former foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, and centrist Ali Larijani, who served as the speaker in parliament.

    Ex-president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has so far kept voters guessing and said he is “checking the conditions to decide whether to register”.

    Under Iran’s election process, candidates will have several days to formally register, starting on May 30.

    The final list, however, will depend on the outcome of the validation process by the conservative-dominated Guardian Council following a June 3 registration deadline.

  • World reactions to death of Iran’s President Raisi

    World reactions to death of Iran’s President Raisi

    Iran’s powerful allies on Monday mourned the death of its President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash, while regional militants hailed him as a supporter of the Palestinian cause.

    Here is a roundup of key reactions:

    China

    China’s President Xi Jinping said “his tragic death is a great loss to the Iranian people, and the Chinese people have lost a good friend,” foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a regular press conference.

    European Union

    The European Union expressed its “sincere condolences”.

    “Our thoughts go to the families,” EU Council President Charles Michel said in a statement.

    France

    France sent its condolences “to the Islamic Republic of Iran… (and) to the families of the victims of this accident,” in a statement from the foreign ministry.

    India

    Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic demise” of Raisi, adding that “India stands with Iran in this time of sorrow.”

    Exiled opposition group

    Exiled Iranian opposition group the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) said Raisi’s death “represents a monumental and irreparable strategic blow to the mullahs’ supreme leader Ali Khamenei and the entire regime, notorious for its executions and massacres”, in a statement from the group’s leader, Maryam Rajavi.

    Russia

    Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed Raisi as an “outstanding politician” and said his death was an “irreplaceable loss.”

    “As a true friend of Russia, he made an invaluable personal contribution to the development of good-neighbourly relations between our countries, and made great efforts to take them to the level of a strategic partnership,” Putin said in a letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

    Turkey

    Turkey was “deeply saddened” by Raisi’s death and “shares the pain of the friendly and brotherly Iranian people,” Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said.

    President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent his “sincere condolences to the friendly and fraternal people and government,” in a message on X, formerly Twitter.

    Hamas-Gaza

    Hamas mourned Raisi as an “honourable supporter” of the Gaza-based Palestinian militant group whose October 7 attack is responded disproportionately by Israel in form of a genocide.

    Hamas said it appreciated Raisi’s “support for the Palestinian resistance and tireless efforts in solidarity” with Palestinians since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

    Hezbolllah-Lebanon

    Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah group, which has traded deadly cross-border fire with Israel during the war, praised Raisi as “a strong supporter, and a staunch defender of our causes… and a protector of the resistance movements”.

    Lebanon announced three official days of mourning.

    Houthis-Yemes

    Yemen’s Tehran-backed Houthi rebels saying Raisi’s death “is a loss not only for Iran but also for the entire Islamic world and Palestine and Gaza,” Huthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam said on X, adding that the Palestinians were “in dire need of the presence of such a president who continued to defend” their right to freedom.

    UAE

    Iran’s Gulf neighbours the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar sent their condolences.

    The oil-rich UAE “stands in solidarity with Iran at this difficult time”, said Emirati President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

    Qatar

    Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, called the news “painful”.

    Syria

    Syrian President Bashar al-Assad expressed solidarity with close ally Tehran, which has backed him during more than a decade of civil war.

    “We worked with the late President to ensure that strategic relations between Syria and Iran flourish always,” the Syrian presidency said in a statement.

    Iran’s arch-enemies the United States and Israel had yet to react publicly.

  • Iran ready to share tech expertise with Islamabad, says Iranian President Raisi

    Iran ready to share tech expertise with Islamabad, says Iranian President Raisi

    After visiting Lahore and Karachi, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said that Tehran is ready to share its strengths in industry, science, and technology with Pakistan. He made the remarks during his three-day official visit to Pakistan.

    While speaking at a ceremony in Karachi’s Chief Minister House, he pointed out that despite challenges, Iran made progress in these fields and was prepared to share this knowledge with Pakistan.

    “I am here with a message of peace and prosperity for the Pakistani nation from the people of Iran and its leadership,” he said, adding, “The governments on both sides are willing to remove all obstacles to expanding trade between the two countries and in this regard, several options were discussed [in his recent meetings Pakistani leadership].”

    The Iranian President also said that the trade partnership will make the relationship between the two countries stronger, stressing that no power on earth “can affect the historical ties between the two countries.”