Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Iran Absolutely Stunned by Ahmadinejad's Election Move

He files to run once more for president

(Newser) - Iran's former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday stunned the country by unexpectedly filing to run in the May presidential election, contradicting a recommendation from the supreme leader to stay out of the race. Ahmadinejad's decision could upend an election many believed would be won by moderate President Hassan... More »

Iranian Billionaire Is to Be Executed

Country announced Babak Zanjani's sentence Sunday

(Newser) - In what is surely one of the most extreme reminders that money cannot buy everything, Iran on Sunday announced a death sentence had been handed to Babak Zanjani, whose fortune is worth an estimated $14 billion. The 42-year-old was arrested in December 2013, shortly after the election of President Hassan... More »

Iran President: We'll Never Build Nuclear Weapon

Rouhani also calls war a sign of 'weakness'

(Newser) - If Iran's more moderate new president is to be believed, the US doesn't have to worry about Tehran pursuing nuclear weapons. “We have never pursued or sought a nuclear bomb, and we are not going to do so,” Hasan Rouhani tells Ann Curry of NBC News... More »

Surprise: Iran Leader Sends Jews Holiday Wishes

Rouhani tweets about 'blessed Rosh Hoshanah'

(Newser) - The old Iranian president called the Holocaust a hoax . The new one? He's reportedly tweeting wishes of goodwill to Jews as Rosh Hashanah begins, reports BuzzFeed : "As the sun is about to set here in #Tehran I wish all Jews, especially Iranian Jews, a blessed Rosh Hashanah,"... More »

Iran's Rouhani Sworn in, Vows 'Peace, Stability'

But calls for 'respect' instead of sanctions

(Newser) - Hasan Rouhani was sworn in today as Iran's president, reports the BBC , vowing a government that would serve voters' call for moderation and hope. "All of those who voted, whether they voted for me, someone else, or even if they didn't vote, all of them are Iranian... More »

Ahmadinejad Called to Criminal Court; Charges Unknown

Parliament speaker made complaint

(Newser) - Iran's presidential election is barely over, and foes of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are wasting no time in summoning the outgoing president to a Tehran criminal court. Parliament speaker Ali Larijani, who has consistently been a thorn in Ahmadinejad's side, lodged a complaint against him, though his charges haven't... More »

686 Hopefuls Vying to Replace Ahmadinejad

Rafsanjani enters race at last minute

(Newser) - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's time is nearly up and nearly 700 candidates are vying to replace him as president of Iran, CNN reports. Iranian authorities say 686 hopefuls have registered for the election next month—but all the candidates need to be vetted by the Guardian Council controlled by Supreme Leader... More »

Newsflash, US: Iran Isn't Isolated

Claudia Rosett thinks the 'rogue state' has plenty of juice at the UN

(Newser) - President Obama likes to say that Iran is "isolated," but he must not be paying very close attention to the goings on at the United Nations, where the supposed rogue state "has been cultivating its own mini-empire," writes Claudia Rosett in the Wall Street Journal . Iran... More »

US Agent Almost Accidentally Shot Ahmadinejad

Book reveals incident that changed US-Iranian relations a little

(Newser) - It was the shot that was almost heard around the world. In September 2006, a US Secret Service Agent fired off a shotgun blast just as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was loading his motorcade at the InterContinental Hotel during a UN General Assembly meeting in New York—apparently by mistake. The incident... More »

Muslims Slam Iran Prez for Touching Chavez's Mom

Photoshopped version of image sparks online debate

(Newser) - So much for comforting the grief-stricken: A photo of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad consoling the mother of late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has sparked political controversy in Iran, the BBC reports. Conservatives, already irate over the president's eulogy for Chavez, said he had committed a sin by touching the... More »

Ahmadinejad: Chavez Will Rise Again With Jesus

He'll be back on resurrection day, says Iran's president

(Newser) - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wins the crown for praise of Hugo Chavez, declaring in a letter to the Venezuelan people that Chavez will be resurrected with Jesus and a revered Shiite imam, reports the Guardian . “I have no doubt he will come again along with all the righteous people and the... More »

Ahmadinejad Critic Tries to Hit Him With Shoe

Not everyone in Egypt is pleased to see Iranian leader

(Newser) - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad landed in Egypt today and got a welcome kiss from Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, reports Reuters . But the Iranian leader got a decidedly different reaction in the midst of a crowd when a critic tried to hit him with his shoe, reports ABC News . It was reportedly a... More »

GOP Rep. Calls McCain Racist After Monkey Joke

McCain's Ahmadinejad-themed tweet does not go over very well

(Newser) - As so often happens, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has triggered a merry-go-round of things we wish we could unhear: It seems the Iranian would like to be sent to outer space , which reminded one John McCain that just last week Iran said it sent a monkey there. And so the senator took... More »

Ahmadinejad: Send Me to Outer Space

Now that a monkey's done it, he wants to be next

(Newser) - Iran's space-bound monkey may have died during flight, but that hasn't spooked Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who today declared that he would very much like to be the first person Iran launches into orbit. But his statement, as reported by state media via the AP , indicates he's not totally... More »

New Photos of Kidnapped American Released

US officials believe Iran knows where he is

(Newser) - The family of kidnapped former FBI agent Robert Levinson has released chilling photographs received in early 2011. The photos show Levinson, who disappeared in Iran while working as a private investigator in 2007, clad in an orange jumpsuit and holding signs with captions including, "I am here in Guantanamo.... More »

Tehran Shuttered After Currency Protests

Police seek to keep peace at major bazaar

(Newser) - The effects of yesterday's protests —and clashes—over Iran's sinking currency are still being felt in Tehran, with the shops of the city's Grand Bazaar closed today. Police are patrolling the area, which is set to reopen Saturday. Meanwhile, trade groups are saying Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's... More »

Iran's Currency in Free Fall; Ahmadinejad Blames US

He cites 'psychological pressures,' but his critics aren't buying it

(Newser) - People holding Iranian rials, including Iranians themselves, can't seem to get rid of them fast enough. The value of the currency has continued its drop , plummeting 40% against the dollar in the last week alone, reports the New York Times . Mahmoud Ahmadinejad blames "psychological pressures" brought on by... More »

After Gmail Ban, Iran Focuses on Own Internet

Block on email service lifted following complaints

(Newser) - Iran's ban on Gmail, launched in response to the anti-Islam video that sparked worldwide protests, has prompted a wave of complaints, including some from lawmakers themselves. Now, Iran has lifted the ban —and it's still working furiously to roll out its new version of the Internet in... More »

Iranian News Agency Duped by Onion Story

It said rural whites prefer Ahmadinejad over Obama

(Newser) - When we saw this post from Iran's semi-official Fars News Agency, we were pretty confused. Gallup, the propaganda outlet reported, had released a poll showing that rural whites preferred Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Barack Obama—in part because "they at least respected that Ahmadinejad doesn't try to hide... More »

Netanyahu Will Push Iran 'Red Line' at UN

Netanyahu Will Push UN for Iran 'Red Line'

Mahmoud Abbas delivers speech today, too

(Newser) - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had his turn in front of the UN General Assembly yesterday, and today is Benjamin Netanyahu's. The Israeli prime minister will press for a "clear red line" on Iran and its nuclear ambitions, Reuters reports. Though some Israelis were disappointed that President Obama didn't issue... More »