The Biden administration fears that Iran may accuse the United States or Israel of involvement in the helicopter crash that killed Ebrahim Raisi, according to Politico.
The authors of the publication, Alexander Ward, Jonathan Lemire, Lara Seligman, and Nahal Toosi, write that the White House is closely monitoring all reactions and statements from Tehran regarding Raisi's death.
Washington hopes there will be no significant change in the status quo and that, after the mourning period, Iranians will elect a new president in the coming months.
Eighty-five-year-old Ali Khamenei remains Iran's de facto leader, and the question of his successor is critical.
Politico notes that many viewed Raisi as a likely successor, and his death adds uncertainty to Iran's succession of power.
The Biden administration believes Iran will be too preoccupied with internal issues to significantly alter its regional policy, including support for proxy forces.
There were initial fears that Tehran might immediately claim that Israel and the U.S. were involved in the helicopter crash. However, initial intelligence suggested the crash was due to bad weather.
Speaking to reporters on May 20, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said, "The United States played no role in this disaster."
Politico notes the appointment of Mohammad Mokhber as acting Iranian president, highlighting his role in supplying drones and missiles to Russia, which are used by the Russian military in the war against Ukraine. His closeness to Khamenei is also noted.
