Raisi's death heats up Iranian politics as 20 leaders likely to fight succession battle

The death of Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi has set the cat among pigeons in Iranian politics, with at least 20 names emerging to fill the void. The battle of succession will start once the Iranian Guardian Council clears the names of the candidates. The councilconsists of12 elite members, closely linked to the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. It remains tobe seenwhether thecouncilsticks to its hardline approach or makes way for a more democratic election by allowing an open competition.

As the battlegoes on, the Iranian establishment will try its best not to expose internal political fault lines as Khamenei searches for a candidate that could bring predictability and stability to the turmoil-hit nation.

Big names in the fray

One of the biggest names in the fray is Saeed Jalili, who announced on Sunday that he wouldbe participatingin the presidential contest. Heis believedto be a master in Iranian foreign policy, having playedkeyroles in foreign ministry and nuclear negotiations between 2007 and 2013.

The Mayor of Tehran, Alireza Zakani, is also understood to have prepared a campaign teambuthe has not made his decisionyet.

The traditional conservative candidatesare seenas either Parviz Fattah, the former head of the Mostazafan Foundation, a massive business conglomerate, or Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, the parliament speaker between 2020 and 2024.

Registration for candidates startsThursday

Registration for the candidates for the presidential elections will begin next Thursday and lastforfour days. Historically, up to 10 candidates could throw their hats into the ring for the initial round, though in 2021, only four did so.

There are also rumours among some Iranian media outlets that if the race ends in chaos and unpredictability, the vice president and current interim president, Muhammad Mokhber, may be asked to take on the role for five years. Despite concerns about corruption and his administration's rollout of less effective COVID-19 vaccines, Mokhber's extensive experience, particularly in managing the supreme leader's affairs, positions him as a trusted figure.

(With inputs from agencies)