The unexpected May 19 death of Iran’s President Ibrahim Raisi in the crash of the helicopter returning him and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian from an official visit to neighboring Azerbaijan will not produce any short-term changes in Iranian domestic or regional policies.| The Soufan Center
On April 8, 2019, the Trump Administration announced its intent to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), a designation that will take effect by April 15 unless Congress acts to block the move| The Soufan Center
Since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, Iran’s advancing nuclear program has been somewhat eclipsed as a strategic challenge by Tehran’s backing of a broad “Axis of Resistance” attacking Israel, U.S. forces in the region, and commercial shipping in the Red Sea.| The Soufan Center
Iran’s June 18 presidential election unfolded as expected, with the overwhelming vote for judiciary chief Ibrahim Raisi, a mid-ranking Shia cleric, in a low-turnout election| The Soufan Center
In late May, the Council of Guardians—Iran’s election candidate vetting body— announced a narrow field of candidates for Iran’s June 18 presidential election| The Soufan Center
Conventional wisdom holds that Iran’s domestic and national security policies will not be altered by the sudden death of President Ibrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash on May 19 – either before the June 28 special election to replace Raisi, or during subsequent leadership competitions thereafter.| The Soufan Center
Since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, U.S. and allied officials have used all available tools of national power to counter efforts by Iran and the regional armed factions it supports to help Hamas battle Israel.| The Soufan Center