Iran Power Crisis

The death of Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi has left an overwhelming hole in the heart of the nation’s political future amidst war with Isreal.

President Raisi and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian died Sunday May 18 when their helicopter crashed near the country’s border with Azerbaijan.

This comes at a crucial moment in the Middle East as just over a month ago, Iran for the first time, launched a direct military attack against Israel.

The attack on April 13, which was mostly foiled by U.S. and Israeli missile defense systems, followed an April 1 strike on the Iranian embassy complex in Damascus, Syria, widely believed to have been carried out by Israel.

The Damascus bombing killed Islamic General Mohammad Reza Zahedi and other Iranian officials.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Islamic republic’s religious leader and ultimate decision-maker, appointed Vice President Mohammad Mokhber as interim president until elections are held on June 28.

It’s not clear whether the next Iranian leader will seek to calm tensions with Israel or take an even more hostile approach as Raisi’s death has thrust the nation into a state of uncertainty.