Iran may see fierce struggle to replace late president

But the real levers of power remain with Supreme Leader Khamenei and his relatives

- Jonathan Eyal 

The death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash has unleashed two of his nation's favourite pastimes: an obsession with the most bizarre conspiracy theories and a power struggle behind closed doors.

A semblance of national unity will be maintained as Mr Raisi and the retinue of advisers who died with him - including Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian - are laid to rest this week.

However, not all Iranians mourn the President's death. And the political tussle to succeed him in a fresh election scheduled for June 28 has already begun, and it is likely to be fierce.

Mr Raisi perished as his helicopter crashed in thick fog on May 19, after a meeting with President Ilham Aliyev of neighbouring Azerbaijan. The two leaders got together to inaugurate a newly built river dam across their border.

Major-General Mohammad Bagheri, the chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces, has ordered a "high-ranking committee" investigation into the cause of the crash. But it is noteworthy that the Iranian authorities, otherwise always ready to blame the country's misfortunes on foreign elements, have made no such claims on this occasion.

Predictably, however, that has not prevented a deluge of conspiracy theories inside Iran and throughout the Middle East.