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Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (also written Ahmadinezhad) (Persian: محمود احمدی‌نژاد ; born October 28, 1956), is the sixth president of the Islamic Republic of Iran. His term began August 3, 2005.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was born in Garmsar, the fourth of seven children born to an ironworker. Ahmadinejad and his family migrated to Tehran when he was one year old. In 1975, he ranked 130th in the nationwide university entrance exams. He then got his diploma and was admitted to the Iran University of Science and Technology in the field of civil engineering. He was accepted as an MS student at the same university in 1986 and got his doctorate in 1987 in the field of engineering and traffic transportation planning while he was the governor of Ardabil province.

Ahmadinejad was the mayor of Tehran from May 3, 2003 until June 28, 2005 when he was elected president. He is widely considered to be a religious conservative with Islamist and populist views. Ahmadinejad was a civil engineer and an assistant professor at the Iran University of Science and Technology before his mayorship.

Politically, Ahmadinejad is a member of the Central Council of the Islamic Society of Engineers, but he has a more powerful base inside the Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran (Abadgaran). Ahmadinejad is considered one of the main figures in the alliance.

Platform

Ahmadinejad has generally sent mixed signals about his plans for his presidency, which some US-based analysts consider to have been designed to attract both religious conservatives and the lower economic classes. His campaign motto was "It's possible and we can do it" (می‌شود و می‌توانیم).

In his presidential campaign, Ahmadinejad took a populist approach, with emphasis on his own modest life, and had compared himself with Mohammad Ali Rajai, the second president of Iran—a claim that raised objections from Rajai's family. Ahmadinejad claims he plans to create an "exemplary government for the people of the world" in Iran. He is a self-described "principlist"; that is, acting politically based on Islamic and revolutionary principles. One of his goals is "putting the petroleum income on people's tables," referring to Iran's oil profits being distributed among the poor.

Ahmadinejad was the only presidential candidate who spoke out against future relations with the United States. Also, in an interview with Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting a few days before the elections, Ahmadinejad accused the United Nations of being "one-sided, stacked against the world of Islam." He has openly opposed the veto power given to the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. In the same interview, he stated, "It is not just for a few states to sit and veto global approvals. Should such a privilege continue to exist, the Muslim world with a population of nearly 1.5 billion should be extended the same privilege." In addition, he has defended Iran's nuclear program and has accused "a few arrogant powers" of attempting to limit Iran's industrial and technological development in this and other fields. In a question by a Shargh journalist about the release of political prisoners in case he becomes president, Ahmadinejad answered with a question: "Which political prisoners? The political prisoners in the United States?"

After his election he proclaimed, "Thanks to the blood of the martyrs, a new Islamic revolution has arisen and the Islamic revolution of 1384 will, if God wills, cut off the roots of injustice in the world." He said, "The wave of the Islamic revolution will soon reach the entire world."

During his campaign for the second round, he said, "We didn't participate in the revolution for turn-by-turn government This revolution tries to reach a world-wide government." Also he has mentioned that he has an extended program on fighting terrorism in order to improve foreign relations and has called for greater ties with Iran's neighbours and ending visa requirements between states in the region, saying that "People should visit anywhere they wish freely. People should have freedom in their pilgrimages and tours."

As confirmed by Ahmadinejad, Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi, a senior cleric from Qom, is President Ahmadinejad's ideological mentor and spiritual guide. Ayatollah Mesbah is the founder of Haghani School of thought in Iran. He and his team strongly supported President Ahmadinejad's campaign during presidential election in 2005.

Personal life and service

Born in the village of Arādān near Garmsar, the son of a blacksmith, his family moved to Tehran when he was one year old. He entered Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST) as an undergraduate student of civil engineering in 1976. He continued his studies in the same university, entering the Master of Science program for civil engineering in 1986, the same time he joined the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (see below), and finally received his Ph.D in traffic and transportation engineering and planning. The graduate program was a special program for the Revolutionary Guards members funded by the organization itself. After graduation, Ahmadinejad became a professor at the civil engineering department at IUST.

In 1979, Ahmadinejad was the head representative of IUST to the unofficial student gatherings that occasionally met with the Ayatollah Khomeini. In these sessions, the foundations of the first Office for Strengthening Unity (daftar-e tahkim-e vahdat), the student organization of which several members behind seizure of the United States embassy belonged (this would become the Iran hostage crisis), were created. Ahmadinejad became a member of the Office of Strengthening Unity. Before the seizure of the embassy, Ahmadinejad had suggested a simultaneous or similar attempt against the Soviet Union embassy, but was voted down, resulting in independent pursuit of the idea by its proponents.

During the Iran-Iraq War, Ahmadinejad joined the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps in 1986. After training at the headquarters, he saw action in extraterritorial covert operations against Kirkuk, Iraq. Later he also became the head engineer of the sixth army of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and the head of the Corps' staff in the western provinces of Iran. After the war, he served as vice governor and governor of Maku and Khoy, an Advisor to the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, and the governor of the then newly established Ardabil province from 1993 to October 1997.

Early political career

Ahmadinejad was mostly an unknown figure in Iranian politics until he was elected Mayor of Tehran by the second City Council of Tehran on May 3, 2003, after a 12% turnout led to the election of the conservative candidates of Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran in Tehran. During his mayorship, he reversed many of the changes put into effect by previous moderate and reformist mayors, putting serious religious emphasis on the activities of the cultural centers founded by previous mayors, going on the record with the separation of elevators for men and women in the municipality offices and suggesting that the bodies of those killed in the Iran-Iraq war be buried in major city squares of Tehran. Such actions were coupled with popular acts, such as distributing free soup to the poor.

As the Mayor of Tehran, Ahmadinejad also became the manager in charge of the daily newspaper Hamshahri, replacing Mohammad Atrianfar as the editor and replacing him with Alireza Sheikh-Attar. Ahmadinejad subsequently fired Sheikh-Attar on June 13, 2005, a few days before the presidential elections, for not supporting him for the post, replacing Sheikh-Attar with Ali Asghar Ash'ari, a previous Vice Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance during the ministership of Mostafa Mirsalim. He fired Nafiseh Kouhnavard, one of Hamshahri's journalists, for asking Khatami about the "red lines" of the regime and illegal parallel intelligence agencies, a question Ahmadinejad didn't consider appropriate. Kouhnavard was later accused by hard-liners of spying for Turkey and the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Ahmadinejad is known to have quarreled with Khatami, who then barred him from attending meetings of the Board of Ministers, a privilege usually extended to mayors of Tehran. He has publicly criticized Khatami for ignorance of the daily problems of the general public.

After two years as Tehran mayor, Ahmadinejad was shortlisted in a list of sixty-five finalists for World Mayor 2005. Out of the 550 nominated mayors, only nine were from Asia.

Ahmadinejad resigned from his post as the mayor of Tehran after his election to the presidency. His resignation was accepted on June 28 2005, and in September 2005 the Tehran City Council elected Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf with 8 out of 15 votes as the 12th Mayor of Tehran.

Presidency

Ahmadinejad became the president of Iran on August 3, 2005, receiving the approval of Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, during which celebration he kissed the hand of Khamenei, the first Iranian president who has kissed Khamenei's hand and the second Iranian president to kiss a supreme leader's hand (the first was Mohammad Ali Rajai, who kissed the Ayatollah Khomeini's hand). Ahmadinejad was widely perceived at the time of his election to be Khamenei's protégé.

In the first announcement after his presidency, Ahmadinejad asked the public servants not to post his photographs and pictures in governmental offices and use the pictures and photos of Ayatollah Khomeini and Ayatollah Khamenei only.

Ahmadinejad completed the requisite ceremonies of becoming president on August 6, when he took vow before the Majlis to protect Iran's official religion (Shia Islam), the Islamic Republic regime, and constitution. From August 3 to August 6, Mohammad Reza Aref, Khatami's First Vice President, was Acting President.

Ahmadinejad's ministers

Ahmadinejad was required to introduce his suggested ministers to Majlis for a vote of approval in fifteen days, after which Majlis would have one week to decide about the ministers. It was mentioned by Masoud Zaribafan, Ahmadinejad's campaign manager, that Ahmadinejad would probably introduce his cabinet on the same day of his vow, which did not happen, but the list was finally sent to the Majlis on August 14. The Majlis were set to vote on the suggested ministers by August 21.

The parliament had held a private meeting on August 5, when Ahmadinejad presented a shortlist of three or four candidates for each ministry, to know the opinion of Majlis about his candidates. A news website close to Ahmadinejad published a partial list of Ahmadinejad's decisions based on the feedback, which was updated and changed a few times. The final list was officially sent to the Majlis on August 14, 2005.

After a few days of heavy discussions in Majlis, which started on August 21, 2005, Ahmadinejad's cabinet was voted for on August 24, 2005, and became the first cabinet since the Iranian revolution in not winning a complete vote of approval. Four candidates, for the ministries of Cooperatives, Education, Petroleum, and Welfare and Social Security, all previous colleagues of Ahmadinejad in the Municipality of Tehran, were voted down. The other candidates became ministers.

The list of suggested ministers and their votes went:

The new board of ministers held its first meeting on August 25 in Mashhad, promising to keep frequent meetings to cities other than the capital, Tehran. Temporary supervisors for two of the four ministries without new ministers were appointed by Ahmadinejad on August 27, Mohammad Nazemi Ardakani for the Ministry of Cooperatives and Davoud Madadi for the Ministry of Welfare and Social Security.

Reza Love Fund

Ahmadinejad's first piece of legislation to emerge from his newly formed government was a 12 trillion rial (1.3 billion American Dollars) "Reza Love Fund", which was named after one of Shiite Islam's Imams, Ali al-Rida. By tapping into Iran's huge oil revenues, Ahmadinejad's government plans to use this fund in order to help young people get jobs, get married, and afford homes. The fund also sought charitable donations, and includes boards of trustees in each of Iran's 30 provinces. The new plan is subject to the approval of the conservative-held parliament, but is seen as unlikely to encounter strong opposition given deputies in the Majlis have also shown an eagerness to focus on resolving economic problems. This piece of legislation was in response to the costly housing in urban centres which is pushing up the national average marital age, which currently is around 25 for women and 28 for men. This was the first example of Ahmadinejad's attempting to fulfill his promise of "bringing oil money to the Iranian people's plates".

Support for Iran's nuclear program

Ahmadinejad has been a vocal supporter of Iran's nuclear program. On 11 January 2006, President Ahmadinejad announced that Iran will have peaceful nuclear technology very soon. He also emphasized that making the nuclear bomb is not the policy of his government. In his words : "We would like to send the message to those who claim Iran is searching for nuclear weapons that there is no such policy and this is illegal and against our religion".

President Ahmadinejad has also invited "all countries" to participate in Iran's nuclear project.

Iranian nuclear policy is not set by the President but by Iran's Supreme National Security Council which reports directly to the Supreme Leader. The council includes representatives appointed by the supreme leader, top officials from the military and members of the executive, judicial and legistlative branches of Iran's government.

Opposition and allegations

Many reformist and independent political parties, including some of those who boycotted the first round of the presidential election, have called for an alliance against Ahmadinejad, calling it "a national alliance against fascism". For example, IIPF and the Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization asked for people voting in the second round, to "prevent the danger of a rise of religious fascism". Critics, including some independent ones, have mentioned that while there are some similarities between the actions and rising of supporters of Ahmadinejad with those of fascism, the movement differs because it is neither nationalistic nor racist and lacks corporatism.

Many critics call his political platform "fictional socialism."

On June 29, 2005, shortly after Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won the Iranian presidential election, several major western news outlets publicized various allegations against him. These include charges that he participated heavily in the 1979-1981 Iran Hostage Crisis, assassinations of Kurdish politicians in Austria, and executions of political prisoners in the Evin prison in Tehran. Ahmadinejad and his political supporters have denied these allegations. Additionally, a number of Ahmadinejad's political opponents in Iran have specifically denied allegations of his participation in the Iran Hostage Crisis. In July of 2005, US President George W. Bush declared that these charges were serious and must be investigated; as of the end of November 2005, the US government continues investigating the charges (Reuters). The Iranian government stated that the allegations circulating against Ahmadinejad in the Western media are merely part of a smear campaign orchestrated by the United States and what Iranian officials have referred to as "Zionist media," directed against Ahmadinejad in specific and Iran in general. As of July of 2005, no independent commission has surfaced to investigate these charges and pronounce its findings.

From before the second round of the election, in late July 2005, there have also been allegations of political corruption from Ahmadinejad's political opponents in Iran, especially from the reformists.

Alleged involvement in the 1979 Hostage Crisis

With Ahmadinejad's recent publicity, former U.S. hostages Dr. William Daugherty (who worked for the CIA in Iran), Kevin Hermening, David Roeder, US Army Col. Charles Scott (Ret.), and US Navy Capt. Donald Sharer (Ret.) have alleged that Ahmadinejad was one of the leaders of the Iran Hostage Crisis at the U.S. embassy in Tehran, during their 444-day captivity starting on November 4 1979. All of the above-mentioned hostages have claimed that they are certain that Ahmadinejad is the man whom they remember from their captivity.

Col. Charles Scott, now seventy-three, recently told the Washington Times that "He was one of the top two or three leaders; the new president of Iran is a terrorist." Col. Scott claimed to recall an incident when Ahmadinejad berated a friendly Iranian guard who had allowed the two Americans to visit another U.S. hostage in a neighboring cell. Col. Scott, who understands Persian, said Ahmadinejad told the guard: "You shouldn't let these pigs out of their cells". Donald Sharer, a retired Navy captain who was for a time a cellmate of Col. Scott at the Evin prison in northern Tehran, remembered Ahmadinejad as "a hard-liner, a cruel individual". "I know he was an interrogator", said Capt. Sharer, now 64. Former hostages William Daugherty and Kevin Hermening also claim he was involved.

Scott and Roeder have also expressed certainty that Ahmadinejad was present at their interrogations. Scott asserted his certainty forcefully, stating: "This is the guy. There's no question about it. You could make him a blond and shave his whiskers, put him in a zoot suit and I'd still spot him." Both men, along with Sharer and Hermening, have stated their recollections of Ahmadinejad as an "extremely cruel" ringleader. Of the above men, only Hermening has expressed that he was not immediately sure that Ahmadinejad was involved in the Hostage Crisis.

However, former hostages USAF Col. Thomas E. Schaefer (Ret.), Paul Lewis (a former Marine embassy guard), and Barry Rosen (former embassy press attache) have expressed uncertainty regarding whether Ahmadinejad was actually involved. Schaefer stated that he does not recall Ahmadinejad by face or name, and Lewis expressed noticing a vague familiarity upon seeing Ahmadinejad's picture, but said that he could not be sure if Ahmadinejad was actually the same person as his captor. "My memories were more of the gun barrel, not the people behind it," stated Lewis. Rosen, while not claiming to personally recognize Ahmadinejad, professes to believe those who do claim to recognize the new Iranian President-elect. "When you're in a situation like that… it doesn't go away" Rosen stated.

In a September, 2005 interview of Ray Takeyh, a senior fellow on the Washington based Council on Foreign Relations, discussed his opinions on the above allegations, stating:

"There is no evidence to suggest that Ahmadinejad was one of the captors during the 1979 hostage-taking at the U.S. embassy in Tehran; the CIA itself has suggested he was not part of it. But here you get into a tricky position because the Bush administration is unwilling to contradict the American hostages. Five of the hostages have claimed that Ahmadinejad was one of their captors. The CIA, after a laborious investigation, has not accepted that claim. But politically, it's difficult for the Bush administration to take a position different from those who suffered 444 days of captivity."

Many of the former hostage takers have stated unequivocally that Ahmadinejad was in no way involved in the Hostage Crisis. One of them, Bijan Abidi, said that Ahmadinejad "was not involved." He added, "There was no one by that name among the students who took part in the U.S. Embassy seizure." Mohsen Mirdamadi, one of the student leaders, and Masoumeh Ebtekar, the spokeswoman of the students who later became a Vice President under President Khatami, have also denied Ahmadinejad's involvement. Abbas Abdi, another leader of the 1979 embassy takeover, and a political opponent of Ahmadinejad, expressed certainty that Ahmadinejad was not involved. "Definitely he was not among the students who took part in the seizure," Abdi said. "He was not part of us. He played no role in the seizure, let alone being responsible for security ." Rosen has stated that Abdi lacks credibility on this issue. Rosen reported that Abdi told him personally during a 1998 meeting in Paris that Abdi, while heavily involved in the embassy takeover, was never actually inside the embassy building. "So he can't maintain that was or wasn't," Rosen stated.

An aide to Ahmadinejad, Meisam Rowhani, denied all claims that Ahmadinejad was involved in the Hostage Crisis. Rowhani stated that Ahmadinejad was asked during recent private meetings if he had a role in the hostage taking. Rowhani said he replied, "No. I believed that if we do that the world will swallow us." Although Ahmadinejad has publicly expressed support for the hostage taking, he has claimed that he only supported the embassy takeover after Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini expressed support, and that he was never actually involved.

About the leadership of the takeover, Shargh has mentioned that the three main leaders of the takeover were Ebrahim Asgharzadeh, Mohsen Mirdamadi, and Habibollah Bitaraf (two of which have already denied Ahmadinejad's involvement). This has been confirmed by several sources involved in the takeover, including Ebtekar.

The Iran Focus photograph controversy

Iran Focus originally claimed that they had obtained a photograph of a younger Ahmadinejad with a hostage, which was quickly published by the major Western news agencies AP, Reuters, and AFP. The publication has drawn criticism from many people who point out that the picture was presented to the world without due investigation or verification.

In response to this, Saeed Hajjarian, a reformist politician and a critic of Ahmadinejad, a previous advisor to President Mohammad Khatami with a background in intelligence in founding the Ministry of Intelligence of Iran, has denied that the picture is Ahmadinejad. Hajjarian has told Associated Press and later ISNA that the person in the photograph is not Ahmadinejad but a student named Taghi Mohammadi. Hajjarian also denied allegations about Ahmadinejad's role in slaying Kurdish opposition leaders in Vienna. The Associated Press and other sources originally reported that Mohammadi later turned into a dissident, was arrested for being connected to MKO, was involved in the assassination of President Mohammad Ali Rajai and Prime Minister Mohammad Javad Bahonar, and committed suicide in jail. However, Hajjarian responded to ISNA that Mohammadi was not a dissident but a supporter of the Iranian government, that he had even been the Iranian Envoy to Afghanistan for a while, and that Mohammadi was not jailed but "died in a suspicious way". Hajjarian also mentioned that AP has incorrectly called him an advisor to the president, though he hasn't held that title for a few years.

It should be noted that Hajjarian's report contradicts that of Ebrahim Asgharzadeh, one of the spokesmen for the hostage-taking students. He identified as "Ranjbaran" the same person Asgharzadeh claims was hanged for being a spy for MKO. But both Asgharzadeh and Hajjarian have recognized the person standing on the other side of the hostage as "Jafar Zaker", who was killed during the Iran-Iraq War.

Only July 2, 2005 the LA Times reported the following about the photo originally circulated by Iran Focus: "A U.S. official familiar with the investigation of Ahmadinejad's role said that analysts had found "serious discrepancies" between the figure depicted in the 1979 photo and images of the Iranian president. The discrepancies included differences in facial structure and features, the official said."

Regarding this widely published photograph, a U.S. official who declined to be identified said there were "significant discrepancies" in some of the facial features between the man in the photo and Iran's president-elect. The photo evidence supposedly showing Ahmadinejad as a hostage-taker was considered by most western journalists to be highly unconvincing.

Kurdish-Austrian accusations

Peter Pilz, an Austrian politician and former spokesman of the Austrian Green Party, has alleged Ahmadinejad possibly had a hand in international assassinations ordered by the Iranian government against political opposition groups, including a 1989 assassination of exiled Kurdish leader Ebdulrehman Qasimlo and two of his associates in Vienna. After Ahmadinejad's election to presidency, in early July 2005, Pilz passed his documents about his claims to the Austrian Interior ministry, which "were then forwarded to the state prosecutor's office."

This allegation has been denied by several sources in Iran, including Saeed Hajjarian, a political opponent of Ahmadinejad. Also notable among the deniers, is Ali Rabiee, the intelligence advisor to the reformist President Khatami, who stated "during the mentioned accident happened, I was present in action regions of northwest and western Iran, and at that time Mr Ahmadinejad was only involved at the civil construction work in the governing offices of Maku and the province". At the same time, the allegation has been echoed by a spokesman for the People's Mujahedin of Iran, a militant opposition group in exile.

Reuters has mentioned that information received from an "extraordinarily credible" informer, an Iranian journalist living in France who Pilz calls only "witness D". Witness D's information came from one of the alleged gunmen, who contacted Witness D in 2001 but later drowned, Pilz said. Supporters of Ahmadinejad have questioned the credibility of such information, have mentioned that Pilz is a Jew, and have called the media reporting these to be "Zionist media". Also, Hamid Reza Asefi, the spokesman of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that "The charges are so self-evidently false they are not worthy of response. We advise the Europeans not to fall into the trap of the Zionist media and to separate their interests from America and the Zionist entity" (Israel).

Also, observers have been skeptical of Pilz's allegations after he refused to disclose any evidence claiming that it would endanger the life of the witness. Also, the accusations have died down after the presidential election, and no clear evidence has been provided that would support the accusations.

Political dissent

During the Iranian presidential election of 2005, some people, including Mehdi Karroubi, a reformist candidate who ranked third in the election, have alleged that a network of mosques, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, and Basij militia forces, have been illegally used to generate and mobilize support for Ahmadinejad. Karroubi has explicitly alleged that Mojtaba Khamenei, a son of the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, is among the conspirators. Ahmadinejad's supporters consider these to be false allegations. Furthermore, Khamenei has written to Karroubi stating that his allegations are "below his dignity" and "will result in a crisis"; in Iran, which he will not allow. As a reply, Karroubi resigned from all his political posts, including his positions as an advisor to the Supreme Leader and as a member of the Expediency Discernment Council, both of which he had been appointed to directly by Khamenei. Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Ahmadinejad's rival in the second round, has also pointed to what he claims are "organized and unjust" interventions conducted by "guiding" the votes, and has supported Karroubi's complaint. Rafsanjani also alleged a "dirty tricks" campaign had "illegally" propelled Ahmadinejad into the presidency, an allegation which he strongly denies. In the same statement, Rafsanjani stated that he would only appeal the election results to "God", and recommended accepting the results and "assisting" the new president-elect.

Some political groups, including the reformist party Islamic Iran Participation Front (IIPF), allege that Ahmadinejad received illegal support and advertising activities from supervisors selected by the Guardian Council who should have remained nonpartisan according to the election law. Also, the reformist newspaper Shargh pointed out an announcement by Movahhedi Kermani, the official representative of the Supreme Leader in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, who was quoted as saying, "vote for a person who keeps to the minimum in his advertisements and doesn't lavish," which uniquely pointed to Ahmadinejad, whose supporters claimed is not wealthy.

Claims that audience did not blink during 2005 UN speech

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There is a video circulating among the Iranians on CD and on the web in which President Ahmadinejad describes how he was protected by a ring of light while he was speaking at the United Nations and how everyone was so mesmerised by his performance and speech that they were not even blinking.

In a speech after UN meeting, Ahmadinejad said that someone present told him that a light surrounded him while he was delivering his speech to the General Assembly. The Iranian president added that he also sensed it.

The claim is made in the video that once Ahmadinejad began with the words "in the name of God," he "became surrounded by a light until the end ." Ahmadinejad says, "I felt it myself, too. I felt that all of a sudden the atmosphere changed there, and for 27-28 minutes all the leaders did not blink."

Ahmadinejad adds that he is not exaggerating:

"I am not exaggerating when I say they did not blink; it's not an exaggeration, because I was looking," he says. "They were astonished as if a hand held them there and made them sit. It had opened their eyes and ears for the message of the Islamic Republic.

General Debate (17-23 September and 26-28 September 2005) http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/60/ Saturday, 17 September 2005 AFTERNOON SESSION - 3pm

IRAN (THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF) H.E. Mr. Mahmoud AHMADINEJAD, President Text - English (of speech of the above) http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/60/statements/iran050917eng.pdf Video - English Original Video clip in Arabic from the UN http://webcast.un.org/ramgen/ga/60/generaldebate/ga60debate050917pm-orig.rm?start=%2200:32:35%22&end=%2201:01:45%22

Video in English from the UN of the above http://webcast.un.org/ramgen/ga/60/generaldebate/ga60debate050917pm.rm?start=%2200:31:51%22&end=%2201:00:58%22

The Cited video clip doesnt work, this one does (sorry for messing your section up)

Support for Navvab Safavi

On 10 January 2006, President Ahmadinejad declared that his government is following the religious mission initiated by Navvab Safavi, a Shi'a cleric who assassinated the historian and author Ahmad Kasravi in 1946 for "insulting Islam." In 2001, Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi, Ahmadinejad’s ideological mentor, praised Safavi and encouraged Muslims in taking similar steps against the "enemies of Islam."

Banning of Western music

On December 2005 President Ahmadinejad banned Western and "offensive" music from state-run radio and television stations. The ban follows a ruling in October by the Supreme Cultural Revolutionary Council, which he also heads, to ban Western songs from Iranian airwaves.

Foreign policy positions

Antagonism towards Israel

2005 "World Without Zionism" speech

During the "World Without Zionism" student conference in October 2005 Ahmadinejad said in a speech:

"Our dear Imam said that the occupying regime must be wiped off the map and this was a very wise statement. We cannot compromise over the issue of Palestine. Is it possible to create a new front in the heart of an old front. This would be a defeat and whoever accepts the legitimacy of this regime has in fact, signed the defeat of the Islamic world. Our dear Imam targeted the heart of the world oppressor in his struggle, meaning the occupying regime. I have no doubt that the new wave that has started in Palestine, and we witness it in the Islamic world too, will eliminate this disgraceful stain from the Islamic world. But we must be aware of tricks."

Later in the speech Ahmadinejad said that the issue with Palestine would be over "the day that all refugees return to their homes a democratic government elected by the people comes to power."

Also in the speech Ahmadinejad denounced attempts to normalize relations with Israel and condemned all Muslim leaders who accept the existence of Israel as "acknowledging a surrender and defeat of the Islamic world." Many believe this criticism was aimed at nearby nations Qatar, Bahrain, and Pakistan, which have taken steps towards improving relations with Israel.

In the speech Ahmadinejad stated that he believes Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip to be a confidence trick, designed to gain acknowledgement from Islamic states. In a rally held two days later, Ahmadinejad declared that his words reflected the views of the Iranian people, adding that Westerners are free to comment, but their reactions are invalid.

The day immediately following Ahmadinejad's statements, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon called for Iran to be expelled from the United Nations and Israel's Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. In that meeting, all fifteen members condemned Ahmadinejad's remarks. Kofi Annan said he was dismayed by the comments, and reiterated Iran's obligations and Israel's right of existence under the UN Charter.

EU leaders issued a strong condemnation of the Iranian President's remarks, stating that "alls for violence, and for the destruction of any state, are manifestly inconsistent with any claim to be a mature and responsible member of the international community." On November 17, the European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning Ahmadinejad's remarks and called on him to retract his bellicose comments in their entirety and to recognise the state of Israel and its right to live in peace and safety. Prime Minister Paul Martin of Canada also condemned the comments on several occasions. Echoing earlier remarks made on October 26, on November 14 he stated, "This threat to Israel's existence, this call for genocide coupled with Iran's obvious nuclear ambitions is a matter that the world cannot ignore." Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat stated, "What we need to be talking about is adding the state of Palestine to the map, and not wiping Israel from the map."

The White House stated that Ahmadinejad's rhetoric showed that it was correct in trying to halt Iran's nuclear program. However, Ahmadinejad has denied that his statements indicate a desire to launch a military attack on Israel. The President of Iran does not have the ability to declare war on another nation as he has no control over the nation's armed forces which are directly under the command of the Supreme Leader, who is the head of state.

In Iran, supporters of Ahmadinejad have said that there is nothing new about his statements and that the West has overreacted in order to try to smear Iran's international image.

The Iranian Ambassador to the European Union, Ali Ahani, called the tough political reactions in Europe against Ahmadinejad "unrealistic and premature," complaining about the discriminatory treatment of the international community, which Iran feels has continued to ignore the threats of Israel and its "organized campaign to provoke others into attacking Iran's facilities and infrastructure". Referring to Israel's support of an American attack on Iran. Hassan Hanizadeh, an editorialist for the Tehran Times, claimed that the criticism of Ahmadinejad's statement by the United States and other Western countries is an attempt to divert attention from "the ever-increasing crimes the Zionists are committing against the innocent Palestinians."

Former president Khatami stated "those words have created hundreds of political and economic problems for us in the world." Khatami has also recently accused Ahmadinejad and his supporters of being an Iranian "Taliban" and giving the enemies of Iran "... the best excuse to attack Islam and Iran."

At a later news conference on January 14, 2006, Ahmadinejad claimed his speech had been misinterpreted.

"There is no new policy, they created a lot of hue and cry over that. It is clear what we say: Let the Palestinians participate in free elections and they will say what they want."

Statement during 2005 Muslim Summit

On December 8 2005, Ahmadinejad gave an interview with Iran's Arabic channel 'Al-Alam' during a summit of Muslim nations in Islam's holy city of Mecca. The interview contained remarks that were widely condemned as Holocaust denial:

"Some European countries insist on saying that during World War II, Hitler burned millions of Jews and put them in concentration camps," Ahmadinejad said. "Any historian, commentator or scientist who doubts that is taken to prison or gets condemned. Although we don't accept this claim, if we suppose it is true, if the Europeans are honest they should give some of their provinces in Europe—like in Germany, Austria or other countries—to the Zionists and the Zionists can establish their state in Europe. You offer part of Europe and we will support it."

The remarks were condemned by Israeli, European and American politicians, Kofi Annan "was shocked," and Saudi, Turkish, and Iranian officials sharply criticized his speech because it "marred a Mecca summit dedicated to showing Islam's moderate face."

Shortly after President Ahmadinejad's remarks, some of his cabinet members including Interior Minister and the Spokeman for Ministry of Foreign Affairs, tried to rephrase his statements to avoid "misunderstandings".

Statements on the historicity of the Holocaust and the relocation of Israel

In a speech given on 14 December, 2005 in the city of Zahedan, and carried live on Iranian television, Ahmadinejad reportedly made the following comments:

"If the Europeans are telling the truth in their claim that they have killed six million Jews in the Holocaust during the World War II - which seems they are right in their claim because they insist on it and arrest and imprison those who oppose it, why should the Palestinian nation pay for the crime. Why have they come to the very heart of the Islamic world and are committing crimes against the dear Palestine using their bombs, rockets, missiles and sanctions. The same European countries have imposed the illegally-established Zionist regime on the oppressed nation of Palestine. If you have committed the crimes so give a piece of your land somewhere in Europe or America and Canada or Alaska to them to set up their own state there. Then the Iranian nation will have no objections, will stage no rallies on the Qods Day and will support your decision."

"They have invented a myth that Jews were massacred and place this above God, religions and the prophets. The West has given more significance to the myth of the genocide of the Jews, even more significant than God, religion, and the prophets, (it) deals very severely with those who deny this myth but does not do anything to those who deny God, religion, and the prophet. If you have burned the Jews, why don't you give a piece of Europe, the United States, Canada or Alaska to Israel. Our question is, if you have committed this huge crime, why should the innocent nation of Palestine pay for this crime?"

The remarks were condemned immediately by the Israeli government. Mark Regev, spokesman for Israel's Foreign Ministry stated:

"The combination of a regime with a radical agenda, together with a distorted sense of reality that is clearly indicated by the statements we heard today, put together with nuclear weapons -- I think that's a dangerous combination that no one in the international community can accept.

What the Iranian president has shown us today is that he is clearly outside the international consensus, he is clearly outside international norms and international legitimacy, and in so doing he has shown the Iranian government for what it is -- a rogue regime opposed to peace and stability and a threat to all its neighboring countries."

Many other foreign governments also issued condemnations, including those of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany.

In an interview on 14th January 2006, President Ahmadinejad said "I've just aksed two questions. But I have not received any clear answers." refering to his previous statements on Holocaust. He added "I will not make any historical argument. European scientists are in a position to answer these questions". Refering to Europeans, President Ahmadinejad added "I want them to offer a clear answer to these questions... what ever they say I would agree". In his mind, any answer to these questions, positive or negative, would be in favor of his idea on "illegitimacy of State of Israel".

Reaction to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Stroke

On January 4, 2006, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon suffered a massive hemorrhagic stroke and was widely reported to be near death. The next day Ahmadinejad spoke to Shi'a clerics in the city of Qom and told them that he hoped for the death of Prime Minister Sharon. . The United States quickly condemned Ahmadinejad's comment as "hateful and disgusting" and U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack called Ahmadinejad's remarks "part of a continuing stream of hateful invective that has come from this president."

Improving relations with Russia

Ahmadinejad has taken moves to help strengthen relations with Russia, setting up a headquarters expressly dedicated to the purpose in October 2005. He has worked with Vladimir Putin on the Iran nuclear issue and both Putin and Ahmadinejad have expressed a desire for more mutual cooperation on issues involving the Caspian Sea. However, there have been recent accusations made by Western intelligence officials that Ahmadinejad has sanctioned the training and funding of Chechen rebels, who are fighting against the local government and Russia, inside Iran.

See also

• Iran
• President of Iran
• Politics of Iran
• Haghani Circle
• Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi

Notes & references

1. http://www.hamshahri.org/hamnews/1383/830406/news/siasi.htm#s34989
2. "President invokes new Islamic wave". Times Online. June 30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
3. http://news.gooya.com/president84/archives/031426.php
4. http://entekhab.ir/display/?ID=2648
5. http://www.freebatebi.com/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1098623651&archive=1099862786&start_from=&ucat=&do=archives
6. "More than 87,000 took part in the World Mayor 2005 project". WorldMayor.com. December. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
7. http://roozonline.com/01newsstory/009123.shtml
8. http://www.khedmat.ir/comments.asp?id=478
9. http://president.ir/ahmadinejad/cronicnews/1384/06/02/index-f.htm#b3
10. http://roozonline.com/01newsstory/012137.shtml
11. http://roozonline.com/01newsstory/007958.shtml
12. "Iran leader linked to '79 embassy crisis". Washington Times. June 30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
13. "Title". LA Times. July 2. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
14. http://www.hasanpix.com/weblog/
15. http://sharghnewspaper.com/840414/html/iran.htm#s254667
16. http://sharghnewspaper.com/840413/html/index.htm
17. "Title". LA Times. July. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
18. "Rafsanjani involved in the murder of Dr. Ghasemlou , says an Austrian MP". PDK-Iran.org. June 3. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
19. http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L0274139.htm
20. "Title". LA Times. July 2. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
21. http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L0274139.htm
22. "U.S.: Man in photo not Ahmadinejad". Aljazeera. July 3. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
23. http://news.gooya.com/president84/archives/031422.php
24. http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/iran/story/2005/06/050619_mf_hashemi_statement.shtml
25. http://news.gooya.com/president84/archives/031420.php
26. "Text of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's Speech". NY Times. October 30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
27. "Title". Reuters. October 28. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
28. "European Parliament rips Iran leader's remarks". Iran Focus. November 17. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
29. "Iran: EU Parliament Asks President to Retract Israel Remarks". ADNKI.com. November 17. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
30. "Canada joins U.S. in rebuking Iran over anti-Israel remarks". Iranian.ws. November 14. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
31. "European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood policy: Statement on recent declarations by the President of Iran". EUROPA. November 16. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
32. "Iranian President Lacks Moral Character". UCI New University Newspaper. December 14. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
33. "Israel urges UN to exclude Iran". BBC. October 27. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
34. "Iran's ambassador to EU blasts western reaction as unrealistic". Islamic Republic News Agency. October 28. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
35. "Iran's Call for the Destruction of Israel". Worldpress.org. October 30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
36. "Targetted words". Al-Ahram. November 9. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
37. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4510922.stm
38. "Iran's Ahmadinejad casts doubt on Holocaust". Reuters. December 8. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
39. "Update 2: Iranian President: Move Israel to Europe". Forbes.com. December 8. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
40. "Reacting against Iranian leader's reported Holocaust denial, Annan points to facts". UN.org. December 8. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
41. "Iran: Ahmadinejad's Holocaust Denial Sparks International Criticism". ADNKI.com. December 9. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
42. "Ahmadinejad draws ire of Saudis, Iranians, West over Israel remarks". The Daily Star. December 10. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
43. "Annan shocked at Ahmadinajad casting doubt about the Holocaust". Kuwait News Agency. December 9. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
44. "Iranian leader denies Holocaust". BBC. December 14. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
45. "Iranian president calls Holocaust a 'myth'". CBC News. December 14. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
46. "Ahmadinejad: Special Hq to be formed for Tehran-Moscow cooperation". Islamic Republic News Agency. October 26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
47. "Teheran 'secretly trains' Chechens to fight in Russia". Telegraph. November 27. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
48. "Iran: Holocaust remarks misunderstood". CNN. December 16. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
49. . Haaretz. January 7. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help); Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)

External links

• Iranian Presidents' e-mail

Election and profile

• "Iran elects new hardline leader" (BBC)
• "Victor wants 'modern Islamic' Iran" (CNN)
• "Ahmadinejad elected president of Iran" (Al-Jazeera)
• Profile: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, BBC's profile on Ahmadinejad
• Iran elections candidates: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
• Losing to Islamic Fascism: The Self-made Failure of Governmental Reformism in Iran
• Ahmadinejad's biography (in Persian)
• Ahmadinejad's campaign website (in Persian)
• اين عكس احمدى نژاد نيست, Shargh's report on Ahmadinejad's background as a student active in politics and that he was not involved in the US hostage crisis (in Persian)
• "Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's Face"
• "Market Fundamentalists Lose in Iran (For Now)"
• A full list of Ahmadinejad's chosen cabinet ministers

Criticism and allegations

• "Ahmadinejad Faces Character Assassination" by Amir Taheri
• US prepares new provocations against Iran
• Karroubi's letter to Ayatollah Khamenei, alleging Ahmadinejad supporters of organized illegal activities (in Persian)
• Articles related to Ahmadinejad's involvement in the 1979 Hostage Crisis, by date (Google)
• The Mayor Who Does Not Like Criticism (in Persian), an article by Rooz on Ahmadinejad
• Ex-Hostages Say Ahmadinejad a Captor
• Iran victor 'kidnap role' probe (BBC)
• Preparing Iran for the Judgement Day (Ahmadinejad reports a green light around his person during his speech at the UN General Assembly)
• In Iran, Arming for Armageddon (Charles Krauthammer)

Information about comments on Israel and reactions

• Contrived Fury
• Iranians hold anti-Israel street protests
• Many different viewpoints on Israel comment
• New York Times Full Text Translation of Speech (October 30 2005)
• "Iranian President Hopes Sharon Perishes"

• 1956 births
• Civil engineers
• Current national leaders
• History of Iran
• Holocaust denial
• Iranian governors
• Iranian politicians
• Mayors of Tehran
• Presidents of Iran