The Vice President of Iran’s regime has assumed the executive responsibilities of the Iranian government following the death of Ebrahim Raisi.
According to Article 131 of the Iranian Constitution, “In case of the death, dismissal, resignation, absence, or illness of the President for more than two months, or in cases where the term of the presidency ends and the new President has not been elected due to certain obstacles, or other similar matters, the Vice President, with the approval of the Supreme Leader, assumes the duties and responsibilities of the President.”
Additionally, based on this law, “a council consisting of the Speaker of the Parliament, the Head of the Judiciary, and the First Vice President is obliged to organize the election of a new President within a maximum period of fifty days.”
Currently, Mohammad Mokhber, the First Vice President of Iran, has unexpectedly taken on this new mission.
Who is Mohammad Mokhber?
Mohammad Mokhber Dezfuli was born on June 26, 1955, in Dezful, located in the Khuzestan province in southwestern Iran.
During the 2000s, he rose through the ranks within the institutions under the office of Iran’s Supreme Leader by working with the Mostazafan Foundation. He held various government and state positions, including Deputy for Commerce and Transportation of the Mostazafan Foundation, Chairman of the Board of Sina Bank, and Deputy Governor of Khuzestan Province.
In 2007, he was appointed as the head of the Execution of Imam Khomeini’s Order (EIKO), where he outlined his program’s main principles as “being Islamic, revolutionary, and disciplined” during his introduction ceremony.
In January 2020, while serving in this position, he was placed on the U.S. sanctions list.
Earlier, in 2010, Mohammad Mokhber was sanctioned by the European Union due to his alleged involvement in Iran’s missile and nuclear programs. However, his name was removed from the EU sanctions list two years later.
In 2013, Reuters published a report estimating the assets of EIKO, overseen by Iran’s Supreme Leader, at around $95 billion.
Other reports estimate that EIKO, along with Astan Quds Razavi and the Foundation of the Oppressed, and Khatam-al Anbiya (a company owned by the Revolutionary Guards), control more than half of Iran’s economy.
The assets and activities of these institutions are not overseen by the parliament and are independent of the national budget.
In July 2019, Mokhber hosted several commanders from Hashd al-Shaabi, the most significant militia group supported by Iran in Iraq, with reports and photos of the meeting published by official news agencies.
Since 2021, he has been serving as the seventh First Vice President in the thirteenth government of Iran.
Given that Ebrahim Raisi had no prior executive experience, some observers believed that Mohammad Mokhber Dezfuli effectively managed Raisi’s government and even played a direct role in selecting economic ministers.
Activities Related to Corruption
The name of Sajad Mokhber, Mohammad Mokhber’s son, has been associated with corruption cases related to the sale of Iranian oil, and according to some reports, he is one of the bank debtors.
Transparency International consistently ranks Iran among the most corrupt countries in its annual reports.
Additionally, during Ebrahim Raisi’s presidency, Mohammad Mokhber was appointed to head a committee tasked with “monetizing government assets,” under the support of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, which aims to sell public assets and properties.
