Iran's Supreme Leader approves Mokhber as interim president, declares 5 days mourning

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. "I announce five days of public mourning and offer my condolences to the dear people of Iran," said Khamenei in an official statement a day after the death of Raisi and other officials in the crash in East Azerbaijan province.