Mohammad Mokhber, Iran’s Acting President and His Journey

Mohammad Mokhber, born on June 26, 1955, in Dezful, Iran, is a prominent figure in Iranian politics. He holds two doctoral degrees, one in international law and another in management, along with a master’s degree in management.

Career Highlights

• Military Service: Mokhber served as an officer in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’s medical corps during the Iran-Iraq War.
• Telecommunications and Provincial Administration: In the 1990s, he served as the CEO of Dezful Telecommunications in his hometown and later as the deputy governor of Khuzestan Province.
• Banking Sector: For about a decade, Mokhber held the position of chairman of the Sina Bank board.
• Mostazafan Foundation and EIKO: He served as a senior official in the Mostazafan Foundation before becoming the head of the Execution of Imam Khomeini’s Order (EIKO) in 2007.

Political Appointments

• First Vice President of Iran: On August 8, 2021, President Ebrahim Raisi appointed Mokhber as the first vice president of Iran, making him the seventh person to hold this office.
• Expediency Discernment Council Member: Mokhber is also a member of the Expediency Discernment Council, an influential advisory body in Iran.

Acting President of Iran (2024-present)

On May 19, 2024, following the tragic death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash, Mokhber assumed the role of Acting President of Iran. His position was confirmed by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on May 20, 2024, until new presidential elections are held.

As the first vice president, Mokhber is constitutionally empowered to assume the powers and functions of the President upon the latter’s death, with the approval of the Supreme Leader. A Temporary Presidential Council, comprising the Speaker of the Assembly, the Head of the Judiciary, and the First Vice President, is formed to organize a new election within 50 days.

Sanctions and Controversies

Mokhber’s career has not been without controversies and sanctions:

• In 2010, the European Union included Mokhber, then the president of EIKO, on a list of entities sanctioned for alleged involvement in nuclear or ballistic missile activities. He was removed from the list in 2012.
• In 2021, the United States sanctioned Mokhber over EIKO’s role in violating the rights of dissidents and other human rights abuses.
• In October 2022, Mokhber was part of a delegation that visited Moscow to finalize an agreement to send drones and missiles to Russia to support its invasion of Ukraine.

As Iran’s Acting President, Mohammad Mokhber faces the daunting task of leading the nation through a period of transition and potential challenges, both domestically and on the international stage.