Mahmūd Ahmadinejād محمود احمدی‌نژاد
President of Iran
Incumbent
Assumed office  03 August 2005
Vice President	Parviz Davoodi
Leader	Ali Khamenei
Preceded by	Mohammad Khatami
Born	28 October 1956 (1956-10-28) (age 51) Aradan, Iran
Political party	Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran
Religion	Islam

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (Persian: محمود احمدی‌نژاد, Mahmud Ahmadinežâd mæhˈmuːd æhmædiːneˈʒɒːd (help·info); born October 28, 1956)^[1][2] is the sixth and current President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The President of Iran is the highest elected official in the Islamic Republic of Iran, second only to the Supreme Leader. Events 8 - Roman Empire General Tiberius defeats Dalmatians on the river Bathinus. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Parviz Davoodi (پرويز داوودي Parviz Dâvudi) (born 1952 in Tehran) is the current First Vice President of Iran (since September 11 (fa علی حسینی خامنه‌ای born 17 July 1939 also known as Ali Khamenei, is an Iranian Azeri politician and cleric Seyyed Mohammad Khātamī ( سید محمد خاتمی, pronounced xɑːtæmiː}} (born September 29, 1943, in Ardakan, Yazd Events 306 - Maxentius is proclaimed Roman Emperor. 312 - Battle of Milvian Bridge: Constantine Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Aradan is a village near the city of Garmsar in Semnan Province, central Iran. The Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran (ائتلاف آبادگران ایران اسلامی E'telāf-e Ābādgarān-e Īrān-e Eslāmī) usually shortened to Abadgaran For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Events 306 - Maxentius is proclaimed Roman Emperor. 312 - Battle of Milvian Bridge: Constantine Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The President of Iran is the highest elected official in the Islamic Republic of Iran, second only to the Supreme Leader. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. He became president on August 6, 2005 after winning the 2005 presidential election by popular vote. Events 1538 - Bogotá, Colombia, is founded by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Iranian presidential election of 2005, the ninth presidential election in Iranian history took place in two rounds first on June 17, 2005, the An election is a Decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold formal office ^[3] Prior to becoming president, Ahmadinejad served as mayor of Tehran, a governor of Kurdistan, Ardabil, and served in the Iran-Iraq War, as a member of Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution. This is a list of Mayors of Tehran: Gholamreza Nikpey Gholamhossein Karbaschi ( 1988 - 1998) Tehran (or Teheran) ( Persian: تهران Tehrān) is the capital and largest City of Iran, and the administrative center of The Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution ( Sepáh e Pásdárán e Enqeláb e Eslámi) is an ideologically motivated branch of the Islamic Republic of Iran's He is the highest directly elected official in the country; however, according to Article 113^[4] of Constitution of Iran, he has much less power than the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Iran and has the final word in all aspects of foreign and domestic policies. The Constitution of the Islamic Republic Political power ( Imperium in Latin is a type of power held by a group in a Society which allows administration of some or all of The post of Supreme Leader ( Persian: رهبر انقلاب Rahbare Enqelab, lit Ayatollah ( Persian: آيت‌الله, âyato-llâh, from Arabic: آية الله, āyatu 'llāh, meaning 'the sign of (fa علی حسینی خامنه‌ای born 17 July 1939 also known as Ali Khamenei, is an Iranian Azeri politician and cleric A commander-in-chief is the Commander of a nation's Military forces or significant element of those forces The Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran (نيروهای مسلح جمهوری اسلامی ايران include the IRIA (ارتش جمهوری اسلامی Foreign Policy is a bimonthly American Magazine founded in 1970 by Samuel P Domestic policy presents decisions laws and programs made by the government which are directly related to issues in the country ^[4][5][6]

Ahmadinejad is a critic of the George W. Bush Administration and supports strengthened relations with Russia, Venezuela, Syria, and the Persian Gulf states. The Presidency of George W Bush began on his inauguration on January 20, 2001 as the 43rd and current President of the United States of America Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية The Arab states of the Persian Gulf are made of the kingdoms of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Oman, the States ^[7][8][9] He has said Iran's nuclear program is for peaceful purposes and has refused to end enrichment despite United Nations Security Council resolutions. The nuclear program of Iran was launched in the 1950s with the help of the United States as part of the Atoms for Peace program Isotope separation is the process of concentrating specific Isotopes of a Chemical element by removing other isotopes for example separating Natural uranium ^[10]

He has called for the dissolution of the state of Israel and its government, which he does not regard as legitimate or representative of the population,^[11][12] and for free elections in the region. For the online game see Jennifer Government NationStates. The nation-state is a certain form of State that derives its legitimacy For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. An election is a Decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold formal office Palestine is a name which has been widely used since Roman times to refer to the region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. He believes that the Palestinians need a stronger voice in the region's future. Palestinian people or Palestinians ( الشعب الفلسطيني, ash-sha`b al-filasTīni; الفلسطينيون, al-filasTīnīyyūn ^[13][14] He is often quoted as calling for Israel to be "wiped off the map," in the western media but translations for his controversial speech do not support this interpretation. During his presidency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad 's speeches and statements have contributed to increased tensions between Iran and Israel, and between Iran and several ^{[15][16][17][18][19]} He has also been condemned for describing the Holocaust as a myth,^[15][20] which has led to accusations of anti-semitism. The Holocaust (from the Greek el ''ὁλόκαυστον'' (el-Latn holókauston holos, "completely" and kaustos, "burnt" also known as Holocaust denial is the claim that the Genocide of Jews during World War II —usually referred to as The Holocaust —did not occur in the Antisemitism (alternatively spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism; also rarely known as judeophobia) is the Prejudice against or hostility ^[21] In response to these criticisms, Ahmadinejad said “No, I am not anti-Jew, I respect them very much. ”^[22]

During his presidency, Ahmadinejad launched a gas rationing plan to reduce the country's fuel consumption and cut the interest rate for private and public banking facilities. 2007 Gas Rationing Plan in Iran was launched by president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad 's cabinet to reduce that country's fuel consumption Interest is a fee paid on borrowed capital Assets lent include Money, Shares, Consumer goods through Hire purchase, major assets ^[23][24]

Contents 1 Background 1.1 Education and early career 1.2 Early political career 2 Presidency 2.1 Presidential campaign 2.2 Election and Term 2.3 Cabinet 2.4 2006 Councils and Assembly of Experts election 3 Domestic policy 3.1 Economic policy 3.2 Family planning and population policy 3.3 Housing 3.4 Human rights 3.5 Universities 3.6 Nuclear program 4 Domestic criticism of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad 4.1 Accusations of corruption 4.2 Criticisms of statements and social issues 4.3 Criticisms from other political parties 4.4 December 2006 student protest 4.5 Ahmadinejad–Haddad Adel conflict over Iranian constitution 5 Foreign relations 5.1 Relations with the United States 5.2 Relations with Russia 5.3 Relations with Venezuela 5.4 Regional relations 5.4.1 Iraq 6 Holocaust denial and accusations of antisemitism 7 See also 8 References 8.1 Further reading 9 External links

Background

Education and early career

Mahmoud Saborjhian^[25] the son of a blacksmith, was born near Garmsar in the village of Aradan^[26] on October 28, 1956. Garmsar (گرمسار is a city in the Semnan province of Iran, located about 82km southeast of Tehran. ^[2] In the 1950s, Ahmadinejad and his family moved from Aradan to Tehran in search of more economic prosperity;^[25] It was during this time period that the Saborjhian family changed its name to Ahmadinejad. Tehran (or Teheran) ( Persian: تهران Tehrān) is the capital and largest City of Iran, and the administrative center of ^[27]

In 1976, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took Iran's national university entrance exams (concours). He has claimed that he ranked 132nd out of 400,000 participants that year,^[28] and soon enrolled in Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST) as an undergraduate student of civil engineering. The Iran University of Science and Technology (دانشگاه علم و صنعت ایران is a research institution and University of engineering and science in In some Educational systems undergraduate education is Post-secondary education up to the level of a Bachelor's degree. Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design construction and maintenance of the physical and naturally built ^[26] He was accepted to a Master of Science program at the same school in 1984^[26] and received his doctorate in 1987^[26] in engineering and traffic transportation planning. A Master of Science ( Latin: Magister Scientiæ; abbreviated MSc, M A doctorate is an Academic degree that indicates the highest level of academic achievement Engineering is the Discipline and Profession of applying technical and scientific Knowledge and ^[26][29] During his doctoral studies at Tehran, he was the governor of Ardabil province. Ardabīl ( Persian: اردبیل Azeri: اردبیل also known as Ardebil; ancient name Artavil) is one of the Azeri Ahmadinejad would eventually become a lecturer and member of the faculty at the university in 1989. ^[27][30]

After the Islamic Revolution, he became a member of the Office for Strengthening Unity,^[31] an organization developed to prevent students from sympathizing or allying with the budding Mojahedin-e Khalq. The Iranian Revolution' (mostly known as the Islamic Revolution, Persian: انقلاب اسلامی Enghelābe Eslāmi was the Revolution that transformed The Office for Strengthening Unity ( Persian: دفتر تحکیم وحدت, Daftar-e Tahkim-e Vahdat) is an Iranian student organization created in The People's Mujahedin of Iran ( PMOI, also MEK, MKO) ( Persian: سازمان مجاهدين خلق ايران sāzmān-e mojāhedin-e khalq-e ^[31] After Saddam Hussein invaded Iran, Ahmadinejad joined the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution^[29] and served in their intelligence and security apparatus. Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti ( Arabic: ar صدام حسين عبد المجيد التكريتي --> April 28 1937 &ndash December 30 The Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution ( Sepáh e Pásdárán e Enqeláb e Eslámi) is an ideologically motivated branch of the Islamic Republic of Iran's ^[29]

Ahmadinejad is married and has two sons and a daughter. ^[32] One of his sons formerly studied at the Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic). Amirkabir University of Technology (AUT دانشگاه صنعتی امیرکبیر formerly named Tehran Polytechnic, is a Public, Coeducational ^[33]

Early political career

Ahmadinejad began his political career as governor to both Maku and Khoy in the West Azerbaijan province during the 1980s. KHOY (881 FM) branded as "Catholic Radio 881" is an Easy listening format station that serves the Laredo, Texas, United States ^[29] He eventually became the Governor General of Kurdistan for two years^[27][30] and was appointed as the governor general of the Ardabil province in 1993. Ardabil ( Persian and Azeri: اردبیل also known as Ardebil; Old Persian: Artavil ^[27] In 1997, Mohammad Khatami removed Ahmadinejad from his position in Ardabil, and Ahmadinejad returned to teaching. Seyyed Mohammad Khātamī ( سید محمد خاتمی, pronounced xɑːtæmiː}} (born September 29, 1943, in Ardakan, Yazd ^[29] In 2003,^[30] however, Ahmadinejad returned to the political scene after the City Council of Tehran appointed him to the position of mayor,^[29] after a 12 percent turnout led to the election of Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran's conservative candidates in Tehran. The Islamic City Council of Tehran (شورای اسلامی شهر تهران is the elected council that presides over the city of Tehran, elects the Mayor This is a list of Mayors of Tehran: Gholamreza Nikpey Gholamhossein Karbaschi ( 1988 - 1998) The Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran (ائتلاف آبادگران ایران اسلامی E'telāf-e Ābādgarān-e Īrān-e Eslāmī) usually shortened to Abadgaran Conservatism is a term used to describe political philosophies that favour Tradition, where tradition refers to various religious cultural or nationally defined

During his mayorship, he reversed many of the changes put into effect by previous moderate and reformist mayors, putting 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,^[34] and suggesting that the bodies of those killed in the Iran-Iraq War be buried in major city squares of Tehran. In Politics and Religion, a moderate is an individual who holds an intermediate position between two viewpoints neither to be extreme or radical by those applying Socialist Reformism is the belief that gradual democratic changes in a Society can ultimately change a society's fundamental economic relations and political structures An elevator or lift is a Transport device used to move people or goods vertically from one floor to another Public square and city square redirect here For Public Square Cleveland see Public Square and for City Square in Leeds see Leeds City Square. Such actions were coupled with an emphasis on charity, such as distributing free soup to the poor. In Christian Theology charity, or love ( Agapē) means an unlimited loving-kindness toward all others

After two years as mayor, Ahmadinejad was shortlisted in a list of 65 finalists for World Mayor in 2005. World Mayor is an award organized by City Mayors since 2004 It intends to raise the profile of Mayors worldwide as well as honour those who have served their communities ^[35] Out of the 550 nominated mayors, nine were from Asia. ^[35]

He was not widely known when he entered the presidential election campaign, although he had already made his mark for rolling back earlier reforms. After his election to the presidency, Ahmadinejad resigned from his post as the mayor of Tehran. His resignation was accepted on June 28, 2005. Events 1098 - Fighters of the First Crusade defeat Kerbogha of Mosul. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

He is a member of the Central Council of the Islamic Society of Engineers, but his key support is inside the Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran (Abadgaran). The Islamic Society of Engineers ( Jame'e-ye Eslaami-e Mohandesin, جامعهٔ اسلامی مهندسین ISE, is a political organization in Iran, a The Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran (ائتلاف آبادگران ایران اسلامی E'telāf-e Ābādgarān-e Īrān-e Eslāmī) usually shortened to Abadgaran ^[36]

Presidency

Presidential campaign

Ahmadinejad generally sent mixed signals about his plans for his presidency, which some US-based analysts considered to have been designed to attract both religious conservatives and the lower economic classes. The islam in Iran (or History of Principle-ism) covers the history of Islamic revivalism and the rise of political Islam in modern Iran ^[37] His campaign motto was, "It's doable and we can do it. A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group "

In his presidential campaign, Ahmadinejad took a populist approach, with emphasis on his own modest life, and compared himself with Mohammad Ali Rajai, the second president of Iran. Populism is a discourse which supports "the people" versus "the Elites " Populism may involve either a political philosophy urging social and political Mohammad Ali Rajai (محمد علی رجائی in Persian) ( 15 June 1933 – August 30, 1981) was the second elected President Ahmadinejad said he had 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. The Iranian Revolution' (mostly known as the Islamic Revolution, Persian: انقلاب اسلامی Enghelābe Eslāmi was the Revolution that transformed One of his goals has been "putting the petroleum income on people's tables", referring to Iran's oil profits being distributed among the poor. Petroleum ( L petroleum, from Greek πετρέλαιον, lit ^[38]

Ahmadinejad was the only presidential candidate who spoke out against future relations with the United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the 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. Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, or IRIB, ( Persian سازمان صدا و سيمای جمهوری اسلامی ايران Sāzmān-e Sedā va Sima-ye Jomhūrī-ye The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security The term Muslim world (or Islamic world) has several meanings "^[39] He has openly opposed the veto power given to the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. The United Nations Security Council 'power of veto' refers to the Veto power wielded solely by the five permanent members of the United Nations 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. The term Muslim world (or Islamic world) has several meanings 5 billion should be extended the same privilege. " 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. The nuclear program of Iran was launched in the 1950s with the help of the United States as part of the Atoms for Peace program

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. Terrorism is the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion A visa (short for the Latin carta visa, lit "a document that has been seen" is a document issued by a Country giving an individual People should have freedom in their pilgrimages and tours. In Religion and Spirituality, a pilgrimage is a long journey or Search of great Moral significance "^[40]

As confirmed by Ahmadinejad, his ideological and spiritual mentor is Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi, a senior cleric from Qom. Ayatollah ( Persian: آيت‌الله, âyato-llâh, from Arabic: آية الله, āyatu 'llāh, meaning 'the sign of Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi ( محمد تقی مصباح یزدی) (born 1934) is a Hardline Iranian Twelver Mesbah is the founder of Haghani School of thought in Iran. Haghani school (also Haqqani)is a Shi'a school of thought in Iran founded by a group of clerics based in the holy city of Qom and headed by Ayatollah He and his team strongly supported Ahmadinejad's campaign during presidential election in 2005. ^[41]

Election and Term

Main article: Iranian presidential election, 2005

Ahmadinejad became the sixth president of Iran on August 6, 2005, after winning 62 percent of the vote in the run-off poll, nearly twice that of former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani considering the fact that the population of voters had risen threefold during Mr Rafsanjani's period in office. The Iranian presidential election of 2005, the ninth presidential election in Iranian history took place in two rounds first on June 17, 2005, the Events 1538 - Bogotá, Colombia, is founded by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani ( Persian:اکبر هاشمی رفسنجانی Akbar Hāshemī Rafsanjānī) Hashemi Bahramani He received the presidential authorization from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei on August 3, 2005. The post of Supreme Leader ( Persian: رهبر انقلاب Rahbare Enqelab, lit (fa علی حسینی خامنه‌ای born 17 July 1939 also known as Ali Khamenei, is an Iranian Azeri politician and cleric Events 8 - Roman Empire General Tiberius defeats Dalmatians on the river Bathinus. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[42] During the authorization ceremony he kissed Khamenei's hand in demonstration of his loyalty to him. ^[43][44] Ahmadinejad's current term will end in August 2009, but he will be eligible to run for one more term in office in the 2009 presidential elections. This article is about the year For the film see 2009 Lost Memories. Presidential elections will be held in Iran on 12 June 2009. It will be the 10th presidential elections to be held in the country with incumbent Mahmoud

Cabinet

Ministry	Candidate minister
Agricultural	Mohammadreza Eskandari
Commerce	Masoud Mirkazemi
Communication and Information Technology	Mohammad Soleimani
Cooperatives	Mohammad Abbasi
Culture and Islamic Guidance	Mohammad Hossein Saffar-Harandi
Defense and Logistics	Mostafa Najjar
Economy and Financial Affairs	Hossein Samsami (pending approval from parliament)
Education	Alireza Aliahmadi
Energy	Parviz Fattah
Foreign Affairs	Manouchehr Mottaki
Health and Medical Education	Kamran Bagheri Lankarani
Housing and Urban Development	Mohammad Saeedikia
Industries and Mines	Aliakbar Mehrabian
Intelligence	Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejehei
Interior	Mostafa Pourmohammadi
Justice	Gholam Hossein Elham
Labour and Social Affairs	Mohammad Jahromi
Petroleum	Gholamhossein Nozari
Roads and Transportation	Mohammad Rahmati
Science, Research, and Technology	Mohammad Mehdi Zahedi
Welfare and Social Security	Abdolreza Mesri

Ahmadinejad was required to introduce his suggested ministers to Majlis for a vote of approval in 15 days, after which Majlis would have one week to decide about the ministers. Mohammad Soleimani (born 1954) is Iran 's Minister of Communication and Information Technology and formerly the Iranian Ambassador to Mali. Parviz Fattah ( is an Iranian politician former member of Revolutionary Guard and Iran's Minister of Energy in Mahmoud Ahmadinejad 's cabinet The first Minister of Foreign Affairs (or Foreign Minister) of Iran was Mirza Abdolvahhab Khan Mo'tamed od-Dowleh Neshat who served between 1819 and 1824 Manouchehr Mottaki ( born 12 May 1953 in Bandar Gaz) is the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs appointed by President Kamran Bagheri Lankarani MD is Iran 's Minister of Health and Medical Education The Ministry of Intelligence and National Security ( Persian: وزارت اطلاعات و امنیت کشور Vezarat-e Ettela'at va Amniat-e Keshvar) is the Hojjatol-Islam Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejeie (born in the Isfahan province circa 1956) is the current head of the Ministry of Intelligence in Iran Hojatoll-Islam Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi (born in Qom circa 1959 is a politician in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Gholam-Hossein Elham, PhD is Iran's official government spokesperson Mohammad Mehdi Zahedi (Born in 1953 Kerman is an Iranian politician and the minister of science and technology in Mahmoud Ahmadinejad 's cabinet Majlis (also spelled Majalis or Mejlis, Arabic مجلس is an Arabic term meaning "a place of sitting" used to describe various types of formal Masoud Zaribafan, Ahmadinejad's campaign manager, mentioned that Ahmadinejad would probably introduce his cabinet on the same day of his vow, but that did not happen. The list was finally sent to the Majlis on August 14, 2005. Events 1183 - Taira no Munemori and the Taira clan take the young Emperor Antoku and the three sacred treasures Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

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. The final list was officially sent to the Majlis on August 14. After a few days of heavy discussions in Majlis, which started on August 21, 2005, Ahmadinejad's cabinet was voted for on August 24. Events 1192 - Minamoto Yoritomo becomes Seii Tai Shōgun and the De facto ruler of Japan. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[45]

The new board of ministers held its first meeting on August 25 in Mashhad, promising to keep frequent meetings to cities other than Tehran. Mashhad ( literally the place of martyrdom) is the second largest city in Iran and one of the holiest cities in the Shia

2006 Councils and Assembly of Experts election

Main article: Iranian councils election, 2006

Main article: Iranian Assembly of Experts election, 2006

Ahmadinejad’s team lost the 2006 city council elections, and his spiritual mentor, Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi, was ranked sixth on the country's Assembly of Experts. The Iranian City and Village Councils election of 2006 took place on December 15, 2006. The Iranian Assembly of Experts election of 2006 was held on December 15, 2006. Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi ( محمد تقی مصباح یزدی) (born 1934) is a Hardline Iranian Twelver ^[46] In the first nationwide election since Ahmadinejad took office, allies of the Iranian President failed to dominate election returns for the Assembly of Experts and local councils. The Assembly of Experts (also Assembly of Experts of the Leadership) of Iran ( Persian: مجلس خبرگان رهبری Majles-e-Khobregan or Turnout of about 60 percent was reported, and the results suggested a voter shift toward more moderate policies. An editorial in the Kargozaran, an independent daily newspaper, remarked "The results show that voters have learned from the past and concluded that we need to support. A newspaper is a written Publication containing News, information and Advertising, usually printed on low-cost paper called Newsprint. . moderate figures. " An Iranian political analyst said that "this is a blow for Ahmadinejad and Mesbah Yazdi's list. Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi ( محمد تقی مصباح یزدی) (born 1934) is a Hardline Iranian Twelver "^[47]

Domestic policy

Economic policy

See also: Economy of Iran

In Ahmadinejad's first two years as president, Iran's real GDP growth fell short of the 7. The economy of Iran is a Transition economy where a continuing strong labour force growth unmatched by commensurate real economic growth is driving up Unemployment Real GDP is a macroeconomic measure of the size of an economy adjusted for price changes and inflation 5 percent growth that was expected by the central bank, despite a highly educated and young labor force and a growing middle class. A central bank, reserve bank, or monetary authority is the entity responsible for the Monetary policy of a country or of a group of member states A trade union or labour union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas such as wages hours and working conditions forming The middle class, in colloquial usage consists of those who have some economic independence but not a great deal of social Influence or power. Inflation and unemployment have both increased and the government has continued a cycle of unsustainable spending and poor economic management. In economics inflation or price inflation is a rise in the general level of prices of goods and services over a period of time Unemployment occurs when a person is available to work and currently seeking work but the person is without work. ^[48]

Ahmadinejad has increased spending by 25 percent and has supported subsidies for food and gasoline. In Economics, a subsidy (also known as a subvention is a form of financial assistance paid to a business or economic sector He also refused a gradual increase of petrol prices, saying that after making necessary preparations, such as a development of public transportation system, the government will free up petrol prices after five years. ^[49] In June 2006, 50 Iranian economists wrote a letter to Ahmadinejad that criticized his price interventions to stabilize prices of goods, cement, government services, and his decree issued by the High Labor Council and the Ministry of Labor that proposed an increase of workers' salaries by 40 percent. June 2006 was a month with thirty days The following events also occurred during the month In the most general sense of the word a cement is a binder a substance which sets and hardens independently and can bind other materials together Ahmadinejad publicly responded harshly to the letter and denounced the accusations. ^[50][51]

Ahmadinejad has called for "middle-of-the-road" compromises with respect to Western-oriented capitalism and the socialist character of the Iranian Revolution. Capitalism is the Economic system in which the Means of production are owned by private Persons and operated for Profit and where Socialism refers to a broad set of economic theories of social organization advocating state or collective ownership and administration of the Means of production and distribution The Iranian Revolution' (mostly known as the Islamic Revolution, Persian: انقلاب اسلامی Enghelābe Eslāmi was the Revolution that transformed Current political conflicts with the United States have caused the central bank to fear increased capital flight due to global isolation. This article outlines economic trade scientific and military sanctions against Iran, which have been imposed by the U These factors have prevented an improvement of infrastructure and capital influx, despite high economic potential. Infrastructure typically refers to the technical structures that support a society such as Roads Water supply, Wastewater, Power grids ^[48]

A poll by Baztab showed that 62. Baztab ( meaning reflection) is an Iranian Persian language, Tehran -based news website 5 percent of those that voted for Ahmadinejad would not elect him again. Among those that did not vote for him in the first election, only 3. 5 percent said they would consider voting for him in the next election. ^[52] At one point in 2006, vegetables prices tripled and housing prices doubled within a matter of months, leading to calls by Iranians for Ahmadinejad to focus on the economy rather than disputes with the West. The Iranian people are a collection of Ethnic groups defined along linguistic lines as speaking Iranian languages. Mohammad Khoshchehreh, a member of Iranian parliament that campaigned for Ahmadinejad, said that his government "has been strong on populist slogans, but weak on achievement. Mohammad Khoshchehreh is an Iranian economist and right-wing politician The Majlis of Iran ( Persian: مجلس شورای اسلامی lit "^[53]

President Ahmadinejad has changed almost all of his economic ministers, including oil, industry and economy, since coming to power in 2005. On April 2008, Davoud Danesh Jaafari who acted as minister of economy in President Ahmadinejad’s cabinet, harshly criticized Ahmadinejad’s economic policy: “During my time, there was no positive attitude towards previous experiences or experienced people and there was no plan for the future. Davoud Danesh-Jafari was the Minister of Economy and Finance Affairs of Iran. Peripheral issues which were not of dire importance to the nation were given priority. Most of the scientific economic concepts like the effect of liquidity on inflation were put in question. ", the minister said in an interview with Fars News Agency. ^[54] In response to these criticisms, Ahmadinejad accused his minister of not being "a man of justice" and declared that the solution to Iran’s economic problem is "the culture of martyrdom". ^[55]

In May 2008, the Petroleum minister of Iran admitted that the government illegally invested 2 billion dollars to import petrol in 2007. At Iranian parliament, he also mentioned that he simply followed the president's order. ^[56][57]

Family planning and population policy

See also: Family planning in Iran

In October 2006, Ahmadinejad opposed encouraging families to limit themselves to just two children, stating that Iran could cope with 50 million more people than the current 70 million. Between 1956 and 1986 Iran's population grew at a rate of more than 3 percent per year October 2006 was a month that began on a Sunday The month was marked by a nuclear test by North Korea that prompted that passing of Resolution 1718 In remarks that have drawn criticism, he told MPs he wanted to scrap existing birth control policies which discouraged Iranian couples from having more than two children. A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. Birth control, sometimes synonymous with contraception, is a regimen of one or more actions devices or Medications followed in order to deliberately prevent Critics said his call was ill-judged at a time when Iran was struggling with surging inflation and rising unemployment, estimated at around 11 percent. Ahmadinejad’s call for an increased birth rate is reminiscent of a call Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini made in 1979. Seyyed Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini ( Persian:, pronounced muːsæviː-je xomejniː}}( September 24, 1902 – June 3 1989 The policy was effective in increasing population growth, but was eventually reversed in response to the resultant economic strain. ^[58]

Housing

The first legislation to emerge from his newly formed government was a 12 trillion Rial (US$1. The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been 3 billion) fund called "Reza's Compassion Fund"^[59] which was named after Shi'a Imam Ali al-Rida. Imāmah (إمامة is the Shī‘ah doctrine of religious spiritual and political leadership of the Ummah. Ali ibn Musa al-Rida ( علي بن موسى الرضا) (Commonly known as Ali ar-Ridha Ali Reza (Eleventh of Dhu al-Qi'dah, 148 AH – Seventeenth of By tapping into Iran's oil revenues, Ahmadinejad's government says that this fund will be used to help young people to get jobs and to afford marriage, as well to assist in purchasing their own homes. An oil is a substance that is in a viscous Liquid state ( "oily") at ambient temperatures or slightly warmer and is In business revenue or revenues is Income that a company receives from its normal business activities usually from the sale of goods and services ^[60]The fund also sought charitable donations, and includes a boards of trustees in each of Iran's 30 provinces. Trustee is a Legal term that refers to a holder of property on behalf of a beneficiary. The new plan is subject to the approval of the conservative-held Majlis, but is seen as unlikely to encounter strong opposition, given that deputies in the Majles have also shown an eagerness to focus on resolving economic problems. The Majlis of Iran ( Persian: مجلس شورای اسلامی lit The legislation was in response to the costly housing in urban centres which is pushing up the national average marital age (currently around 25 years for women and 28 years for men). In 2006 the Iranian parliament rejected the fund. However, Ahmadinejad ordered the administrative council to execute the plan. ^[61]

Human rights

See also: Human rights in Islamic Republic of Iran

Several human rights organizations and many Western governments have criticized Ahmadinejad's human rights record. Iran is home to the earliest known charter of Human rights — the Achaemenid dynasty established unprecedented principles of human rights in the 6th century Human rights refers to the "basic Rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled

According to Human Rights Watch, "Respect for basic human rights in Iran, especially freedom of expression and assembly, deteriorated in 2006. Human Rights Watch is a United States -based international Non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on Human rights. The government routinely tortures and mistreats detained dissidents, including through prolonged solitary confinement. Torture, according to the United Nations Convention Against Torture, is "any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental is intentionally Solitary confinement, colloquially referred to in American English as "the hole" or "the pound" (or in British English "the block" is a Punishment " Human Rights Watch described the source of human rights violations in contemporary Iran as coming from the Judiciary, accountable to Ali Khamenei, and from members directly appointed by Ahmadinejad. (fa علی حسینی خامنه‌ای born 17 July 1939 also known as Ali Khamenei, is an Iranian Azeri politician and cleric Again according to Human Rights Watch, "Since President Ahmadinejad came to power, treatment of detainees has worsened in Evin Prison as well as in detention centers operated clandestinely by the Judiciary, the Ministry of Information, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Evin Prison ( is a Prison in Iran, located in northwestern Tehran. "^[62]

Responses to dissent have varied. Human Rights Watch writes that "[t]he Ahmadinejad government, in a pronounced shift from the policy under former president Mohammed Khatami, has shown no tolerance for peaceful protests and gatherings. Seyyed Mohammad Khātamī ( سید محمد خاتمی, pronounced xɑːtæmiː}} (born September 29, 1943, in Ardakan, Yazd " In December 2006, Ahmadinejad advised officials not to disturb students who engaged in a protest during a speech of his at the Amirkabir University of Technology in Tehran,^[63][64] although speakers at other protests have included among their complaints that there had been a crackdown on dissent at universities since Ahmadinejad was elected. Amirkabir University of Technology (AUT دانشگاه صنعتی امیرکبیر formerly named Tehran Polytechnic, is a Public, Coeducational ^[65]

In April 2007, the Tehran police, which is under Khamenei's supervision, began a crackdown on women with "improper hijab. April 2007 is the fourth month of that year It began on a Sunday and 30 days later ended on a Monday. Islam and clothing Hijab or ħijāb ( ar حجاب, pronounced) is the Arabic term for "cover" (noun based on the root حجب meaning "to " This led to criticism from associates of Ahmadinejad. ^[66] Ahmadinejad summoned the head of the police and asked him to clarify the reasons for the act. ^[67]

Universities

In 2006, the Ahmadinejad government reportedly forced numerous Iranian scientists and university professors to resign or to retire. It has been referred to as "second cultural revolution". The Cultural Revolution (1980-1987 (in Persian انقلاب فرهنگي was a period following the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran where the academia of Iran was ^[68][69] The policy has been said to replace old professors with younger ones. ^[70] Some university professors received letters indicating their early retirement unexpectedly. ^[71] In November 2006, 53 university professors had to retire from Iran University of Science and Technology. The Iran University of Science and Technology (دانشگاه علم و صنعت ایران is a research institution and University of engineering and science in ^[72]

In 2006, Ahmadinejad's government applied a 50 percent quota for male students and 50 percent for female students in the university entrance exam for medicine, dentistry and pharmacy. Medicine is the art and science of healing It encompasses a range of Health care practices evolved to maintain and restore Human Health by the Dentistry' is the "evaluation diagnosis prevention and/or treatment (nonsurgical surgical or related procedures of diseases disorders and/or conditions of the oral cavity Pharmacy (from the Greek φάρμακον 'pharmakon' = drug is the Health profession that links the Health sciences with the chemical sciences The plan was supposed to stop the growing presence of female students in the universities. In a response to critics, Iranian minister of health and medical education, Kamran Bagheri Lankarani argued that there are not enough facilities such as dormitories for female students. Kamran Bagheri Lankarani MD is Iran 's Minister of Health and Medical Education Masoud Salehi, president of Zahedan University said that presence of women generates some problems with transportation. Also, Ebrahim Mekaniki, president of Babol University of Medical Sciences, stated that an increase in the presence of women will make it difficult to distribute facilities in a suitable manner. Babol University of Medical Sciences (BUMS is a medical sciences university in the city of Babol, Mazandaran province Persia ( Iran) Bagher Larijani, the president of Tehran University of Medical Sciences made similar remarks. General and History Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS is the largest and "most distinguished" and most highly ranked medical school of According to Rooz Online, the quotas lack a legal foundation and are justified as support for "family" and "religion. For other uses see Rooz (disambiguation Rooz ( "^[73]

Nuclear program

See also: Nuclear program of Iran

Ahmadinejad has been a vocal supporter of Iran's nuclear program, and has insisted that it is for peaceful purposes. The nuclear program of Iran was launched in the 1950s with the help of the United States as part of the Atoms for Peace program The nuclear program of Iran was launched in the 1950s with the help of the United States as part of the Atoms for Peace program He has repeatedly emphasized that building a nuclear bomb is not the policy of his government. A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from Nuclear reactions either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. He has said that such a policy is "illegal and against our religion. "^[74][75] He also added at a January 2006 conference in Tehran that a nation with "culture, logic and civilization" would not need nuclear weapons, and that countries that seek nuclear weapons are those which want to solve all problems by the use of force. January 2006: ← - January - February - March - April - May - June - July ^[76]

In April 2006, Ahmadinejad announced that Iran had successfully refined uranium to a stage suitable for the nuclear fuel cycle. Stories without links will be removed'. News stories must be in English Uranium (jʊˈreɪniəm is a silvery-gray Metallic Chemical element in the The nuclear fuel cycle, also called nuclear fuel chain, is the progression of Nuclear fuel through a series of differing stages In a speech to students and academics in Mashhad, he was quoted as saying that Iran's conditions had changed completely as it had become a nuclear state and could talk to other states from that stand. Mashhad ( literally the place of martyrdom) is the second largest city in Iran and one of the holiest cities in the Shia ^[77] On April 13, 2006, Iranian news agency, IRNA, quoted Ahmadinejad as saying that the peaceful Iranian nuclear technology would not pose a threat to any party because "we want peace and stability and we will not cause injustice to anyone and at the same time we will not submit to injustice. The Islamic Republic News Agency (خبرگزاری جمهوری اسلامی ایران or IRNA, is the official News agency of the Islamic Republic of "^[78]

Despite Ahmadinejad's vocal support for the program, the office of the Iranian president is not responsible for nuclear policy. It is instead set by the Supreme National Security Council. Supreme National Security Council (شورای عالی امنیت ملی is the National Security Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the current secretary of The council includes two representatives appointed by the Supreme Leader, military officials and members of the executive, judicial, and legislative branches of government. It reports directly to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who issued a fatwa against nuclear weapons in 2005. (fa علی حسینی خامنه‌ای born 17 July 1939 also known as Ali Khamenei, is an Iranian Azeri politician and cleric A fatwā (فتوى plural fatāwā فتاوى in the Islamic faith is a religious opinion on Islamic law issued by an ^[79]

Khamenei usually refrains from speaking in public, but has criticized Ahmadinejad's "personalization" of the nuclear issue. ^[80] However, sources close to the president have said the article comes from Rafsanjani. Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani ( Persian:اکبر هاشمی رفسنجانی Akbar Hāshemī Rafsanjānī) Hashemi Bahramani ^[81] Ahmadinejad vowed on February 23, 2008, that Iran will not be held back from developing its peaceful nuclear program, and said the "nuclear technology is . Events 1455 - Traditional date for the publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western Book printed from Movable 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common . . the sort of technology that has been monopolized by a few countries". ^[82]

Domestic criticism of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Accusations of corruption

Ahmadinejad has been criticized for attacking private “plunderers” and “corrupt officials,” while engaging in "cronyism and political favouritism". For the record label see Crony Records Cronyism is partiality to long-standing friends especially by appointing them to positions of authority Many of his close associates have been appointed to positions for which they have no obvious qualifications, and "billion dollar no-bid contracts" have been awarded to the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), an organization that he is strongly associated with. The Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution ( Sepáh e Pásdárán e Enqeláb e Eslámi) is an ideologically motivated branch of the Islamic Republic of Iran's ^[83]

Criticisms of statements and social issues

In 2005, Khamenei responded to Ahmadinejad's alleged remark that Israel should be "wiped off the map" by saying that "the Islamic Republic has never threatened and will never threaten any country. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. During his presidency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad 's speeches and statements have contributed to increased tensions between Iran and Israel, and between Iran and several For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. "^[84] Moreover, Khamenei's main adviser in foreign policy, Ali Akbar Velayati, refused to take part in Ahmadinejad's Holocaust conference. Dr Ali Akbar Velayati (علی‌اکبر ولایتی born June 25, 1945 in Shemiran) is an Iranian politician and a former Pediatrician In contrast to Ahmadinejad's remarks, Velayati said that the Holocaust was a genocide and a historical reality. Genocide is the deliberate and systematic destruction in whole or in part of an ethnic racial religious or national group ^[85]

However, The 'Wipe Israel' phrase also appeared elsewhere: Iranian military parades in Ahmadinedjad's reign featured ballistic missiles adorned with slogans such as 'Israel must be uprooted and erased from history'. A ballistic missile is a Missile that follows a Sub-orbital ballistic flightpath with the objective of delivering a warhead to a predetermined target ^[86]

In June 2007, Ahmadinejad was criticized by some Iranian parliament members over his remark about Christianity and Judaism. June 2007 is the sixth month of that year It began on a Friday and 30 days later ended on a Saturday. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut According to Aftab News Agency, Ahmadinejad stated: "In the world, there are deviations from the right path: Christianity and Judaism. Dollars have been devoted to the propagation of these deviations. There are also false claims that these [religions] will save mankind. But Islam is the only religion that [can] save mankind. " Some members of Iranian parliament criticized these remarks as being fuels to religious war. ^[87][88]

Conservative MP Rafat Bayat has blamed Ahmadinejad for a decline in observance of the required hijab for women, calling him "not that strict on this issue". Islam and clothing Hijab or ħijāb ( ar حجاب, pronounced) is the Arabic term for "cover" (noun based on the root حجب meaning "to ^[89] Ahmadinejad has been also accused of indecency by people close to Rafsanjani,^[90] after he publicly kissed the hand of a woman who used to be his school teacher. Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani ( Persian:اکبر هاشمی رفسنجانی Akbar Hāshemī Rafsanjānī) Hashemi Bahramani ^[91]

His criticism of the West has been controversial among some members of Iranian Parliament, leading to attempts to compel him to go to the parliament to answer questions. ^[92]

Criticisms from other political parties

Many reformist and independent political parties, including some of those that boycotted the first round of the presidential election, have called for an alliance against Ahmadinejad, calling it "a national alliance against fascism. Fascism is a totalitarian nationalist and corporatist ideology " 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. The term nationalism can refer to an Ideology, a sentiment, a form of Culture, or a Social movement that focuses on the Nation List of racism-related topics|Racism by country Racism, by its simplest definition is the belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that Historically corporatism (corporativismo refers to a political or Economic system in which power is held by civic assemblies that represent Economic

Some dissident groups also accused him of being a ruthless interrogator and torturer in the 1980s. ^[93]

December 2006 student protest

On December 11, 2006, some students disrupted a speech by Ahmadinejad at the Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic) in Tehran. Events 359 - Honoratus, the first known Prefect of the City of Constantinople, takes office Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Amirkabir University of Technology (AUT دانشگاه صنعتی امیرکبیر formerly named Tehran Polytechnic, is a Public, Coeducational According to the Iranian Student News Agency, students set fire to photographs of Ahmadinejad and threw firecrackers. The Iranian Students' News Agency ( ISNA) is a news organization run by Iranian university students The protesters also chanted "death to the dictator. A dictatorship is usually defined as an autocratic Form of government in which the Government is ruled by a Dictator. " It was the first major public protest against Ahmadinejad since his election. In a statement carried on the students' Web site, they announced that they had been protesting the growing political pressure under Ahmadinejad, also accusing him of corruption, mismanagement, and discrimination. The statement added that "the students showed that despite vast propaganda, the president has not been able to deceive academia. Propaganda is a concerted set of messages aimed at influencing the opinions or behaviors of large numbers of people " It was also reported that some students were angry about the International Conference to Review the Global Vision of the Holocaust. The International Conference to Review the Global Vision of the Holocaust was a two-day conference that opened on December 11, 2006, in Tehran, Iran ^[94]

In response to the students' slogans, the president said: "We have been standing up to dictatorship so that no one will dare to establish dictatorship in a millennium even in the name of freedom. Given the scars inflicted on the Iranian nation by agents of the US and British dictatorship, no one will ever dare to initiate the rise of a dictator. "^[95] It was reported that even though the protesters broke the TV cameras and threw hand-made bombs at Ahmadinejad,^[96] the president asked the officials not to question or disturb the protesters. ^[97] In his blog, Ahmadinejad described his reaction to the incident as "a feeling of joy" because of the freedom that people enjoyed after the revolution. ^[98]

One thousand students also protested the day before to denounce the increased pressure on the reformist groups at the university. One week prior, more than two thousand students protested at Tehran University on the country's annual student day,^[99] with speakers saying that there had been a crackdown on dissent at universities since Ahmadinejad was elected. The University of Tehran ( also known as Tehran University and UT, is the oldest and largest university of Iran. ^[100][94]

Ahmadinejad–Haddad Adel conflict over Iranian constitution

In 2008, a serious conflict emerged between Iranian President and the head of parliament over three laws approved by Iranian parliament: "the agreement for civil and criminal legal cooperation between Iran and Kyrgyzstan", "the agreement to support mutual investment between Iran and Kuwait", and "the law for registration of industrial designs and trademarks". The conflict was so serious that the Iranian leader stepped in to resolve the conflict. Ahmadinejad wrote a letter to parliament speaker Gholam Ali Hadad Adel, furiously denouncing him for an "inexplicable act" in bypassing the presidency by giving the order to implement legislation in an official newspaper. Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel (غلامعلی حداد عادل in Persian) born in 1945 in Tehran, Iran, is an Iranian philosopher politician and former chairman ^[101] President Ahmadinejad accused the head of parliament of violating Iranian constitutional law. He called for legal action against the Parliament speaker. ^[102][103] Haddad-Adel responded to Ahmadinejad accusing him of using inappropriate language in his remarks and letters. ^[104]

Foreign relations

Relations with the United States

See also: United States-Iran relations

During Ahmadinejad's presidency, Iran and the US have had the most high-profile contact in almost 30 years. Iran and the US froze diplomatic relations in 1980 and had no direct diplomatic contact until May 2007. ^[105]

While the U. S has linked its support for a Palestinian state to acceptance of Israel's "right to exist," Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has retorted that Israel be moved to Europe instead. The Right to exist is a bedrock principle of international law referring to the right of nations to exist ^[106] The U. S. has sent clear signals to Iran that its posturing against Israel's right to exist is unacceptable, leading to increased speculation of a U. S. led attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. Even though Iran has denied involvement in Iraq, President Bush has warned of "consequences," sending a clear message to Iran that the U. S may take military action against it. ^[107] The Bush administration considers Iran to be the world's leading state supporter of terrorism. The Presidency of George W Bush began on his inauguration on January 20, 2001 as the 43rd and current President of the United States of America Iran has been on the U.S. list of state sponsors of international terrorism since 1984,^{[108][109][110]} a claim that Iran and Ahmadinejad have denied. "State Sponsors of Terrorism" is a designation applied by the United States Department of State to nations who are designated by the Secretary of State "to

On May 8, 2006, Ahmadinejad sent a personal letter to President Bush to propose "new ways" to end Iran's nuclear dispute. On May 8, 2006, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sent a missive directly to United States President The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. ^[111] U. S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley both reviewed the letter and dismissed it as a negotiating ploy and publicity stunt that did not address U. Condoleezza Rice (born November 14 1954 is the 66th United States Stephen John Hadley (born February 13, 1947, in Toledo Ohio) is the current (21st U S. concerns about Iran's nuclear program. ^[112] A few days later at a meeting in Jakarta, Ahmadinejad said, "the letter was an invitation to monotheism and justice, which are common to all divine prophets. Jakarta (also DKI Jakarta) is the Capital and largest city of Indonesia. "^[113]

Ahmadinejad invited President George W. Bush to a debate at the United Nation General Assembly, which was to take place on September 19, 2006. George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security Membership For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly see General Assembly members The debate was to be about Iran's right to enrich uranium. The invitation was promptly rejected by White House spokesman Tony Snow, who said "There's not going to be a steel-cage grudge match between the President and Ahmadinejad. Robert Anthony Snow ( June 1 1955 – July 12 2008) was an American Political commentator, Television news Many types of matches, sometimes called "concept" or " gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, can be found in the form of Performing "^[114]

On November 2006, Ahmadinejad wrote an open letter to the American people,^[115] representing some of his anxieties and concerns. He stated that there is an urgency to have a dialog because of the activities of the US administration in the Middle East, and that the US is concealing the truth about current realities. ^[116]

The United States Senate passed a resolution warning Iran about attacks in Iraq 97-0. On September 26, 2007, the United States Senate passed a resolution 76-22 and labeled an arm of the Iranian military as a terrorist organization, which, according to Senator Jim Webb, gives the Bush administration de facto authorization to use military force against Iran.

In September 2007 Ahmadinejad visited New York to address the General Assembly of the United Nations. Prior to this he gave a speech at the Columbia University, where the university president Lee Bollinger — clearly stung by criticism for hosting Ahmadinejad — used his introduction to excoriate the Iranian leader as everything from a "cruel and petty dictator" to "astonishingly uneducated. " Taking questions from Columbia faculty and students who attended his address, Ahmadinejad answered a query about the treatment of gays in Iran by saying: "We don't have homosexuals like in your country. We don't have that in our country. We don't have this phenomenon; I don't know who's told you we have it. "

In a speech given in April 2008, Ahmadinejad described the September 11, 2001 attacks as a "suspect event. " He minimized the attacks by saying all that had happened was, "a building collapsed. " He claimed that the death toll was never published, that the victims' names were never published, and that the attacks were used subsequently as pretext for the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. The War in Afghanistan, which began on October 7 2001 as the U ^[117]

Relations with Russia

See also: Iran-Russia relations

Ahmadinejad has moved to strengthen relations with Russia, setting up an office expressly dedicated to the purpose in October 2005. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending He has worked with Vladimir Putin on the nuclear issue, and both Putin and Ahmadinejad have expressed a desire for more mutual cooperation on issues involving the Caspian Sea. Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (; born 7 October 1952 in Leningrad, USSR; now Saint Petersburg, Russia was the second President of Russia The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged Sea. ^[118] More recently, Iran has been increasingly pushed into an alliance with Moscow due to the controversy over Iran's nuclear program. Moscow (Москва́ romanised: Moskvá, IPA: see also other names) is the Capital and the largest city of By late December 2007, Russia began to deliver enriched batches of nuclear fuel to Iran as a way of persuading Iran to end self-enrichment.

Relations with Venezuela

See also: Iran-Venezuela relations

Ahmadinejad has sought to develop ties with other world leaders that are also opposed to U.S. foreign policy and influence like Hugo Chavez of Venezuela. The foreign policy of the United States is highly influential on the world stage as it is a Superpower. Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías (ˈuɰo rafaˈel ˈtʃaβ̞es ˈfɾias (born July 28 1954 is the current President of Venezuela. Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the ^[119] Venezuela voted in favor of Iran's nuclear program before the United Nations,^[120] and both regimes have sought to develop more bilateral trade. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security ^[121] As of 2006, the ties between the two countries are strategic rather than economic;^[119] Venezuela is still not one of Iran's major trading partners. ^[122]

Regional relations

Immediately after the Islamic Revolution, Iran's relations with most of its neighbors, particularly those with large Shiite minorities, were severely strained. The Iranian Revolution' (mostly known as the Islamic Revolution, Persian: انقلاب اسلامی Enghelābe Eslāmi was the Revolution that transformed ^[123] Ahmadinejad's priority in the region has been to improve ties with most of Iran's neighbors in order to strengthen Iran's status and influence in both the Middle East and Greater Muslim World. The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. The term Muslim world (or Islamic world) has several meanings ^[124][125]

Turkey has always been an important ally in the region due to its ties to the West through NATO, Israel,^[126] and its potential entry into the European Union. The North Atlantic Treaty For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in Ahmadinejad made a visit to Ankara in order to reinforce relations with Turkey immediately after the 2007 NIE report was released. Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after İstanbul. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches The nuclear program of Iran was launched in the 1950s with the help of the United States as part of the Atoms for Peace program ^[127] Relations were briefly strained after President Abdullah Gul had stated that he wants the atomic threat to be eliminated from the region, perhaps a hint to Iran;^[128] however, business has remained cordial between the two countries. Abdullah Gül PhD GCB, (born October 29, 1950) is the 11th President of the Republic of Turkey, serving in that office since ^[129] Despite US disapproval, Turkey recently signed a multibillion dollar gas line deal with Tehran in late 2007. ^[129][130]

Iran's relations with the Arab states have been complex, partly due to the Islamic Revolution^[123] of decades ago, as well as more recent efforts by the United States to establish a united front against Iran over the nuclear issue and War on Terror. The Iranian Revolution' (mostly known as the Islamic Revolution, Persian: انقلاب اسلامی Enghelābe Eslāmi was the Revolution that transformed The nuclear program of Iran was launched in the 1950s with the help of the United States as part of the Atoms for Peace program The War on Terrorism (also known as the War on Terror) is the common term for the military political and legal, and ideological conflict and specifically for U ^[131] Ahmadinejad has sought reconciliation with the Arab states by encouraging bilateral trade and posturing for Iranian entry into the Gulf Cooperation Council. The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf ( CCASG; مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية also known as the Gulf Cooperation Council ^[132] Outside of the Persian Gulf, Ahmadinejad has sought to reestablish relations with other major Arab states, most notably Egypt. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. ^[133] As of 2007, Iran did not have an open embassy there. ^[133]

Iran's ties to Syria have been most notable in the West. Both nations have had to deal with international and regional isolation. ^[134] Further, they both have cordial ties to the militant group, Hezbollah,^[135] and concerns over Iran-Syria relations were further exacerbated following the 2006 Lebanon War,^[136] which both Ahmadinejad and President Assad claimed as a victory over Israel. Hezbollah (حزب الله, literally " party of God " is a Shi'a Islamic political and Paramilitary organisation Background See also Israel-Lebanon conflict The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO had engaged in cross-border attacks from Southern Lebanon Dr Bashar al-Assad (بشار الأسد) (born 11 September, 1965) is the President of the Syrian Arab Republic, Regional Secretary ^[135]

Ahmadinejad has also attempted to develop stronger, more intimate ties with both Afghanistan and Pakistan to the East in order to ensure "regional stability. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and "^[137] In particular, Ahmadinejad is interested in more bilateral talks between Iran and both Afghanistan and Pakistan. ^[137] Moreover, Ahmadinejad's administration has taken part in establishing the "peace pipeline"; a pipeline from Iran that will eventually fuel both Pakistan and India. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country In theory, the plan will help to integrate South Asian economies, and, by consequence, calm tensions between Pakistan and India. Globalization (or globalisation) in its literal sense is the process of transformation of local or regional phenomena into global ones ^[138]

Ahmadinejad met foreign minister Elmar Mammadyarov of Azerbaijan in order to discuss increased cooperation between the two nations. Azerbaijan ( English; Azərbaycan officially the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan Respublikası is the largest and most populous country in the South ^[139] Mammadyarov also expressed desire to expand the North-South corridor between Iran and Azerbaijan and to launch cooperative projects regarding power plant construction. A power station (also referred to as generating station, power plant or powerhouse) is an industrial facility for the generation of ^[139] Iran has also redoubled efforts to forge ties with Armenia; during Ahmadinejad's visit in October 2007 the discussions were focused on developing energy ties between the two countries. Armenia (Հայաստան transliterated: Hayastan,) officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն Hayastani ^[140]

Iraq

Ahmadinejad is the first Iranian president to visit Iraq. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. ^[141] Ahmadinejad, in Baghdad March 2, 2008 for the start of a historic two-day trip, said "visiting Iraq without the dictator (Saddam Hussein) is a good thing. Events 986 - Louis V becomes King of the Franks. 1127 - Assassination of Charles the Good 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti ( Arabic: ar صدام حسين عبد المجيد التكريتي --> April 28 1937 &ndash December 30 "^[142]Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, heading home after a two-day visit to Iraq, again touted his country's closer relations with Iraq and reiterated his criticism of the United States. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (محمود احمدی‌نژاد; born October 28, 1956) is the sixth and current President of the Islamic Republic of Iran The United States of America —commonly referred to as the ^[143]

Holocaust denial and accusations of antisemitism

Main article: Controversies surrounding Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

See also: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Israel

On December 2005, Ahmadinejad made several controversial statements about the Holocaust, calling it "a myth" and criticizing European laws against Holocaust denial. Hamedān or Hamadān ( Persian: همدان, Old Persian: Hagmatana Hebrew: המזיין Ancient Greek: Ecbatana) Criticism of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad became rampant after his election victory on June 29, 2005. During his presidency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad 's speeches and statements have contributed to increased tensions between Iran and Israel, and between Iran and several The Holocaust (from the Greek el ''ὁλόκαυστον'' (el-Latn holókauston holos, "completely" and kaustos, "burnt" also known as Holocaust denial is the claim that the Genocide of Jews during World War II —usually referred to as The Holocaust —did not occur in the ^[144] In an interview with Der Spiegel Ahmadinejad again questioned the Holocaust several times, insisting there were "two opinions" on it. Der Spiegel (pronounced /deːɐ ˈʃpiːɡəl/ German for "The Mirror" is a German weekly Magazine, published in Hamburg When asked if the Holocaust was a myth, he responded "I will only accept something as truth if I am actually convinced of it. "^[145] In an appearance at Columbia University, he stated that the Holocaust should be left open to debate and research like any other historical event. Columbia University is a private University in the United States and a member of the Ivy League. ^[146] Alongside with his statements, he said "In a war like WWII, such casualties should be inevitable. Why would the 6 million deaths of the Jews be more significant than the casualties of the other races?"

In response to these statements and actions, a variety of sources, including the U.S. Senate,^[147] have accused Ahmadinejad of antisemitism. The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives Antisemitism (alternatively spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism; also rarely known as judeophobia) is the Prejudice against or hostility On December 11, 2006 the "International Conference to Review the Global Vision of the Holocaust" opened with widespread condemnation. The International Conference to Review the Global Vision of the Holocaust was a two-day conference that opened on December 11, 2006, in Tehran, Iran ^[148] The conference, called for by and held at the behest of Ahmadinejad,^[149] was described in Western media as a "Holocaust denial conference" or a "meeting of Holocaust deniers",^[150] though Iran maintained that it was not a Holocaust denial conference. Holocaust denial is the claim that the Genocide of Jews during World War II —usually referred to as The Holocaust —did not occur in the ^[151]

See also

• Politics of Iran
• Haghani Circle
• Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi
• 2006 Iranian sumptuary law controversy
• Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the 1979 Hostage Crisis

References

Further reading

• Harris, David [5] (2004). David Harris (born 1946 in Fresno California) is an American Journalist and Author. The Crisis: the President, the Prophet, and the Shah—1979 and the Coming of Militant Islam. Little, Brown.  

External links

• Video Archive of President Ahmadinejad
• Official website of the President of Iran
• Blog of President Ahmadinejad
• Why Ahmadinejad Loves New York on Time. com (a division of TIME Magazine)
• Interview with Ahmadinejad in TIME Magazine
• Biography by CIDOB Foundation
• Time.com's People Who Mattered 2006 Photoessay "Iranian Paradox"

Political offices
Preceded by Mohammad Khatami	President of Iran 2005 – present	Incumbent

Persondata
NAME	Ahmadinejad, Mahmoud
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION	6th President of Iran
DATE OF BIRTH	October 28, 1956
PLACE OF BIRTH	Aradan, Iran
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH

Seyyed Mohammad Khātamī ( سید محمد خاتمی, pronounced xɑːtæmiː}} (born September 29, 1943, in Ardakan, Yazd The President of Iran is the highest elected official in the Islamic Republic of Iran, second only to the Supreme Leader. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The President of Iran is the highest elected official in the Islamic Republic of Iran, second only to the Supreme Leader. Events 306 - Maxentius is proclaimed Roman Emperor. 312 - Battle of Milvian Bridge: Constantine Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Aradan is a village near the city of Garmsar in Semnan Province, central Iran.

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