Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Monday, May 20, 2024
From the Liveblog of
Monday, May 20, 2024
Iran’s supreme leader approves Mokhber as interim president, declares 5 days’ mourning
A handout picture provided by the Iranian Vice President's Media Office shows Vice President Mohammad Mokhber speaking at the ceremony to lay the foundation stone for the railway connection project at the Shalamcheh border crossing in Iraq's southern province of Basra Governorate on September 2, 2023.(Photo by Iranian Vice-Presidency / AFP)
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said on Monday that First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber is in charge of the executive branch and has a maximum period of 50 days to hold elections following the death of president Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash, Iran’s official news agency IRNA reported.
Five days of national mourning have been declared by Khamenei.
Iran’s government cabinet also appoints Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani as acting foreign minister following the death of Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in the crash.
