7 Things to Know About Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Ex-Iranian President the U.S. Wanted Back in Power
In the early days of the war, the U.S. and Israel wanted to put the hard-liner and Holocaust denier back in power, the NYT reported.
Israel and U.S. officials saw hard-liner former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as the potential future leader of Iran, the New York Times reported this week.
That’s supposedly why Israel bombed his home in the early days of their illegal war on Iran – to free him from house arrest. But instead, he was injured, and, according to the Times, became “disillusioned with the regime change plan” that had been discussed with him prior to the strikes.
He hasn’t been seen in public since.
Here are seven things you should know about the man the U.S. and Israel wanted back in power in Tehran:
1. Holocaust Denier
Ahmadinejad has repeatedly denied the Holocaust, including calling it “a lie based on an unprovable and mythical claim” during a 2009 speech in Iran. The week after that speech, in an interview with NPR, he called accounts of Holocaust survivors “claims,” asking, “Why should everyone be forced to accept the opinion of just a few on a historic event?”
2. Accused by Israel of Wanting to Destroy Israel
Many know Ahmadinejad as the man who called for Israel to be “wiped off the map,” a statement that has gotten him countless comparisons to Hitler. The only issue is that he has never said that. A more accurate translation of the remarks would be “this regime occupying Jerusalem must vanish from the page of time,” a quote from the late Ayatollah Khomeini.
3. Pro-Death Penalty for LGBTQ People
While speaking at a Columbia University World Leaders forum in 2007, Ahmadinejad falsely claimed that there are no gay people in Iran. During the event, he was also asked about the use of the death penalty, including for gay people, to which he responded, “Don’t you have capital punishment in the United States? You do too. In Iran, too, there is capital punishment.”
4. Allowed Women to Attend Soccer Games
In 2006, Ahmadinejad lifted a ban that had blocked women from attending soccer games, saying, “The presence of women and families in public places promotes chastity.” The move was met with criticism from the hard-line Iranians who helped get Ahmadinejad elected.
5. Barred From Running in Elections 3 Times
Since the end of his presidency in 2013, Ahmadinejad has attempted to run for reelection three times: in 2017, 2021, and 2023, but each time the Iranian Guardian Council barred him from running.
6. Apparently Loves Michigan Football
The former Iranian president had an active Twitter account from 2017 to 2022, where he posted about, among other things, American football. Ohio State Buckeye fans won’t be pleased to know Trump’s pick for the next president of Iran is a Michigan Wolverines football supporter. In 2018, Ahmadinejad tweeted, “With a hard work ethic Inshallah the U of M will return to its glory days.”
7. Apparently Loves Tupac, Too
During his Twitter era, Ahmadinejad also posted Happy Birthday to the “legend” Tupac Shakur on what would have been the rapper’s 50th birthday. The post ends with the lyrics, “Cause any day they’ll push the button and all come in like Malcolm X or Bobby Hutton,” from Shakur’s 2004 hit “Ghetto Gospel.”
Zeteo’s Kennedy Garmong contributed to this piece.
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