Iran to Hold Presidential By-Election on June 28

Iran, which lost its incumbent president in a helicopter crash accident, has set the presidential by-election date for June 28.

According to Iranian state TV and others, the Iranian Election Commission announced on the 20th (local time) that it decided this in accordance with constitutional provisions. Presidential candidate registration will close on the 28th of this month. According to the current Iranian constitution, in the event of the president's vacancy, the next president must be elected by direct vote through a by-election within 50 days.

Earlier, the Iranian government officially announced that President Ebrahim Raisi died in the helicopter accident that occurred the previous afternoon. President Raisi's funeral is scheduled to be held on the 22nd in the capital, Tehran. According to the constitution, First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber will act as the president.

Condolences from major countries are also continuing. The U.S. government officially expressed condolences through a statement at the State Department on the same day. The State Department said, "We officially express our condolences on the deaths of President Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and other government delegation members in the helicopter crash," adding, "As Iran elects a new president, we reaffirm our support for the Iranian people and their struggle for human rights and fundamental freedoms."

Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, said that after the crash, Iran requested support from the U.S., but due to logistics and other reasons, support could not be provided. The U.S. and Iran have had no official diplomatic relations since Iran's Islamic Revolution in 1979.

Pope Francis also sent an English telegram to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the same day, stating, "I offer condolences to all," and "I convey assurances of spiritual closeness to Iran during this difficult time." Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an spoke with First Vice President Mokhber, who will act as president, on the same day to express their condolences.