Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (born 1956) is an Iranian conservative politician who served two terms as President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, from August 2005 to August 2013. A former mayor of Tehran (2003–2005) and a veteran of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, he rose to national prominence by campaigning on populist economic themes, anti-corruption pledges, and loyalty to the principles of the 1979 Revolution.
His presidency was defined internationally by Iran's accelerating uranium enrichment program and the resulting standoff with the IAEA and the UN Security Council. During his tenure, the Security Council adopted multiple sanctions resolutions targeting Iran's nuclear and missile activities, including Resolution 1737 (2006), 1747 (2007), 1803 (2008), and 1929 (2010). Ahmadinejad consistently defended enrichment as a sovereign right under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
He became globally controversial for statements questioning the Holocaust and for remarks about Israel, including a widely reported 2005 speech invoking Ayatollah Khomeini's phrase about the regime occupying Jerusalem being erased from the page of time. He used annual UN General Assembly addresses in New York to criticize the United States, Israel, and the structure of the Security Council, prompting walkouts by Western delegations.
Domestically, his re-election in June 2009 triggered the Green Movement protests, with opposition candidates Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi alleging fraud. The crackdown that followed drew international condemnation. In his second term, Ahmadinejad clashed openly with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei over cabinet appointments and the role of clerical authority, weakening his political base.
He was barred by the Guardian Council from running in the 2017 and 2021 presidential elections. Since leaving office he has remained a vocal but marginal figure, occasionally issuing open letters to foreign leaders and criticizing Iran's establishment, while retaining a small populist following.
Example
In September 2012, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad delivered his final address as Iran's president to the UN General Assembly in New York, prompting walkouts by the US, Israeli, and Canadian delegations.
Frequently asked questions
He served two four-year terms, from August 2005 to August 2013, succeeded by Hassan Rouhani.
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