NEW DELHI: Iran is set to hold presidential elections on June 28, as reported by the semi-official Tasnim news agency. This follows the tragic death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash over the weekend. The constitution of the Islamic Republic dictates that Vice President Mohammad Mokhber will assume the role of president in the interim period.

"The election calendar was approved at the meeting of the heads of the judiciary, government, and parliament," state television said. "According to the initial agreement of the Guardian Council, it was decided that the 14th presidential election will be held on June 28."

Candidates for the presidency can register from May 30 onwards, with individuals undergoing vetting by the Guardian Council, a 12-member body of clerics and jurists responsible for administering elections. It remains uncertain whether Mokhber will be a candidate in the election.

Many analysts believe that the clerical establishment and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will favor a president with similar views to Raisi, who was known for his ultraconservative stance and deep distrust of the US and Israel. In recent elections, the Guardian Council has made it challenging for reformist candidates to run.

Raisi's tenure was marked by controversy, with many associating him with the mass arrests and executions that followed violent protests in 2022 after the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman detained for allegedly violating Iran’s strict dress code.

Iranians across the country gathered to mourn the loss of President Raisi. The helicopter lost communication while returning to Tabriz after Raisi attended a joint inauguration of a dam with his Azeri counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, along their common border.

A massive search and rescue operation was launched when two other helicopters in Raisi's convoy lost contact amid harsh weather conditions in the mountainous region. AFP reported that the state TV announced Raisi's death, saying that "the servant of the Iranian nation, Ayatollah Ebrahim Raisi, has achieved the highest level of martyrdom," while showing images of him as a voice recited the Koran.

Iran's military chief of staff, Mohammad Bagheri, has ordered an investigation into the cause of the crash. International condolences have poured in, with people in cities across Iran mourning the late president and his companions.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared five days of national mourning and assigned vice president Mohammad Mokhber, 68, to assume interim duties ahead of the elections. The presidential election, following Raisi's death, is scheduled for June 28.

Raisi's body will be taken to Iran's Shiite clerical center of Qom before being moved to Tehran. Funeral processions are expected to begin on Wednesday morning, with Raisi's burial planned for Thursday evening in his hometown of Mashhad.

Raisi, 63, was an ultraconservative who took office in 2021 during a tumultuous time in Iran, marked by mass protests, economic crises exacerbated by US sanctions, and armed conflicts with Israel.