Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is a prominent Iranian politician.

He served as the sixth president of Iran from 2005 to 2013. His political identity is defined by being a nationalist and a principlist. A principlist is someone who bases their politics on Islamic and revolutionary principles. He was also the leader of the Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran. This group is a coalition of conservative political organizations. His leadership style focused on helping the lower economic classes. He often spoke about using the nation's petroleum income to help the poor.

Ahmadinejad's early life was shaped by a modest background. He was born on October 28, 1956, in Aradan, near Garmsar.

His father, Ahmad, worked as a Persian grocer and a barber. The family moved to Tehran when Mahmoud was only one year old. In 1960, his father changed the family name to Ahmadinejad. They did this to avoid discrimination in the city. The name Ahmadinejad combines his father's name with a Persian suffix. This suffix, Nejad, means "lineage" or "race."

He pursued a career in engineering and academia before entering high politics. In 1976, he ranked 132nd out of 400,000 students on a national exam. He studied civil engineering at the Iran University of Science and Technology. He later earned a doctorate in transportation engineering and planning in 1997. During his studies, he held several administrative roles in West Azerbaijan. He also served as a provincial governor for Ardabil Province starting in 1993. In 2003, the Tehran City Council elected him as the mayor of Tehran. As mayor, he focused on religious values and improving the city's traffic.

Ahmadinejad's rise to the presidency was marked by a populist campaign. He used the slogan, "It's possible and we can do it." He compared his modest life to that of Mohammad Ali Rajai, Iran's second president. In the 2005 runoff election, he won 62% of the votes.

He officially took office on August 3, 2005. During his presidency, he was a very controversial figure. He strongly defended Iran's nuclear program against international pressure. He also criticized the United Nations for being one-sided. He argued that the veto power held by five permanent members was not just. He believed the Muslim world should have similar privileges.

His time in office included significant economic and social changes. In 2007, he introduced a gasoline rationing plan. This was intended to reduce fuel consumption across the country. He also worked to lower interest rates for banking facilities. However, his economic policies faced criticism within Iran. He also faced international criticism regarding human rights.

His second term began after the 2009 election. This election was widely disputed by many people. The dispute led to widespread protests throughout the country. This period also saw tension between Ahmadinejad and other leaders. He experienced power struggles with the Revolutionary Guard and the Parliament. He even had conflicts with the Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.

Ahmadinejad's rhetoric often caused tension with other nations. He expressed strong hostility toward Israel, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

] speaking at [[Columbia University]] He famously stated that Israel would be eliminated in the near future. He also made controversial claims about the Holocaust. He declared the Holocaust to be a myth. Later, he claimed that denying it was an achievement of his presidency. These statements drew significant criticism from Western and Arab states. He remained a figure of intense debate on the global stage.

After his presidency ended in 2013, Ahmadinejad attempted to return to politics. Hassan Rouhani was elected as his successor.

Ahmadinejad tried to run for a third term in 2017. He also attempted to register for the 2021 and 2024 elections. However, the Guardian Council rejected his nominations each time. The Guardian Council is the body that approves candidates in Iran. Despite these rejections, he remained active in political commentary. He criticized the government during the 2017–18 Iranian protests. His career illustrates the complex political shifts within the Islamic Republic.