No disruption to state affairs, says Supreme Leader

All eight on board helicopter, including Foreign Minister, killed in crash

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Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, a hardliner seen as a potential successor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, was killed in a helicopter crash in mountainous terrain near the Azerbaijan border, officials and state media said on May 20.

The charred wreckage of the helicopter, which crashed on May 19 carrying Mr Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and six other passengers and crew, was found early on May 20 after an overnight search in blizzard conditions.

Ayatollah Khamenei, who holds ultimate power with a final say on foreign policy and Iran's nuclear programme, expressed his condolences for the "martyrdom" of Mr Raisi and his companions, state media reported.

Mr Khamenei had earlier sought to reassure Iranians, saying there would be no disruption to state affairs. He announced five days of public mourning.

Iran's three branches of government held an extraordinary meeting on May 20, with First Vice-President Mohammad Mokhber, who will take over as president, representing the executive branch, Iran's judiciary news agency Mizan reported.

Mr Mokhber, like Mr Raisi, is seen as close to Mr Khamenei.

If a president dies in office, under the Islamic republic's Constitution, the first vice-president takes over for an interim period of 50 days, with the approval of the Supreme Leader.

A new presidential election would be held at the end of the 50 days.

Any candidate must first be vetted by the Guardian Council, a hardline watchdog that has often disqualified moderate and even prominent conservative officials, meaning the overall thrust of Iranian policy would be unlikely to change.