ebrahimi raisi was also unconditionally loyal to the supreme leader. and a man with name recognition, who has had experience across a range of institutions. so, among many, he was seen as a possible successor. there will certainly have to be a jostling opposition now. we do expect that in the preparation for these elections, in looking to the future and that transition, the more consequential transition for the supreme leader, when that happens, there will be jockeying in the conservative group between the camps who are more hardline and those who are pragmatists. it is a critical moment in the islamic republic, but the death of ebrahimi raisi, at least as it looks now, will not be consequential. lyse doucet. there has been reaction to the news from world leaders and regional allies. russia's vladimir putin has offered his condolences, describing president raisi as a "true friend of russia" and an "outstanding politician". china's president xi said president raisi's death was "a great loss to the iranian people". syria's embattled president bashar alâ€