What Happens if the Iranian President Dies in Office? Here's the Constitutional Procedure

New Delhi: In a dely incident reported on Sunday, May 19, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi along with country's or cabinet ministers onboard a helicopter crashed due to suspected fog in region. As per latest reports, rescue team after an intense search operation of almost 12 hours has spotted crashed chopper. However, Iranian state TV says that "no sign of life" in President's helicopter.

Following incident earlier, Iranian authorities marked incident as an "accident." chopper crashed in Jolfa in mountainous northwestern region of Iran. Iranian leer and his cabinet minister were travelling back from ir visit to Azerbaijan.

Earlier, state news agency IRNA quoted he of Iran's Red Crescent Society, Pir-Hossein Koulivand said that search operation is being conducted by at least 40 teams on ground but "wear conditions me it impossible to conduct aerial searches."

Rescuers in Iran are racing to find helicopter carrying President Ebrahim Raisi to find out fate of all those on board. Raisi was elected president in 2021 and, under current timetable, presidential elections are due to take place in 2025. As of now, no traces or information related to President has been detected.

What Happens if President Dies? 

Here is a brief outline of what Iran's constitution states could happen if a president is incapacitated or dies in office:

As per Islamic Republic's constitution, Article 131, states that if a president dies in office first vice president takes over, with confirmation of supreme leer, who has final say in all matters of state, Reuters reported. 

Meanwhile, a council consisting of first vice president, speaker of parliament and he of judiciary must arrange an election for a new president within a maximum period of 50 days.