Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

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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	Shia Islam

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (Persian: محمود احمدی‌نژاد, [[Media:Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.ogg|]] (help·info); born October 28, 1956)^[1][2] is the sixth and current President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. He became president on August 6, 2005 after winning the 2005 presidential election by popular vote.^[3] Before becoming president, he was the mayor of Tehran. 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.^[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.^[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.^[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. He believes that the Palestinians need a stronger voice in the region's future.^[13][14] One of his most controversial statements was one in which, according to some translations, he called for Israel to be "wiped off the map," but interpretations of this statement vary widely.^{[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.^[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.^[23][24] 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.

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

[edit] Background

[edit] 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.^[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.^[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.^[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.^[26][29] During his doctoral studies at Tehran, he was the governor of Ardabil province. 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.^[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.^[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).^[33]

[edit] Early political career

Ahmadinejad began his political career as governor to both Maku and Khoy in the West Azerbaijan province during the 1980s.^[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.^[27] In 1997, Mohammad Khatami removed Ahmadinejad from his position in Ardabil, and Ahmadinejad returned to teaching.^[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.

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. Such actions were coupled with an emphasis on charity, such as distributing free soup to the poor.

After two years as mayor, Ahmadinejad was shortlisted in a list of 65 finalists for World Mayor in 2005.^[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.

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).^[36]

[edit] Presidency

[edit] 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.^[37] His campaign motto was, "It's doable and we can do it."

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. 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. 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.^[38]

Ahmadinejad was the only presidential candidate who spoke out against future relations with the United States. 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."^[39] 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." 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.

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."^[40]

As confirmed by Ahmadinejad, his ideological and spiritual mentor is Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi, a senior cleric from Qom. Mesbah is the founder of Haghani School of thought in Iran. He and his team strongly supported Ahmadinejad's campaign during presidential election in 2005.^[41]

[edit] 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 three fold during Mr Rafsanjani's period in office. He received the presidential authorization from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei on August 3, 2005.^[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.

[edit] 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. 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.

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.^[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.

[edit] 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.^[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. 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.. moderate figures." An Iranian political analyst said that "this is a blow for Ahmadinejad and Mesbah Yazdi's list."^[47]

[edit] Domestic policy

[edit] Economic policy

See also: Economy of Iran

In Ahmadinejad's first two years as president, Iran's real GDP growth fell short of the 7.5 percent growth that was expected by the central bank, despite a highly educated and young labor force and a growing middle class. Inflation and unemployment have both increased and the government has continued a cycle of unsustainable spending and poor economic management.^[48]

Ahmadinejad has increased spending by 25 percent and has supported subsidies for food and gasoline. 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. 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. Current political conflicts with the United States have caused the central bank to fear increased capital flight due to global isolation. These factors have prevented an improvement of infrastructure and capital influx, despite high economic potential.^[48]

A poll by Baztab showed that 62.5 percent of those that voted for Ahmadinejad would not elect him again.^{[citation needed]} 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.^{[citation needed]} 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."^[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. 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, 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 that he simply followed president's order. ^[56][57]

[edit] 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. 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. 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. The policy was effective in increasing population growth, but was eventually reversed in response to the resultant economic strain.^[58]

[edit] Housing

The first legislation to emerge from his newly formed government was a 12 trillion Rial (US$1.3 billion) fund called "Reza's Compassion Fund"^[59] which was named after Shi'a Imam Ali al-Rida. 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. ^[60]The fund also sought charitable donations, and includes a boards of trustees in each of Iran's 30 provinces. 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 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]

[edit] 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.

According to Human Rights Watch, "Respect for basic human rights in Iran, especially freedom of expression and assembly, deteriorated in 2006. The government routinely tortures and mistreats detained dissidents, including through prolonged solitary confinement." 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. 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."^[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." 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.^[65]

In April 2007, the Tehran police, which is under Khamenei's supervision, began a crackdown on women with "improper hijab." 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]

[edit] 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".^[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.^[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. 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. 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. Bagher Larijani, the president of Tehran University of Medical Sciences made similar remarks. According to Rooz Online, the quotas lack a legal foundation and are justified as support for "family" and "religion."^[73]

[edit] 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. He has repeatedly emphasized that building a nuclear bomb is not the policy of his government. 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.^[76]

In April 2006, Ahmadinejad announced that Iran had successfully refined uranium to a stage suitable for the nuclear fuel cycle. 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.^[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."^[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. 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.^[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.^[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 ... the sort of technology that has been monopolized by a few countries".^[82]

[edit] Domestic criticism of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

[edit] Accusations of corruption

Ahmadinejad has been criticized for attacking private “plunderers” and “corrupt officials,” while engaging in "cronyism and political favouritism". 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.^[83]

[edit] 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."^[84] Moreover, Khamenei's main adviser in foreign policy, Ali Akbar Velayati, refused to take part in Ahmadinejad's Holocaust conference. In contrast to Ahmadinejad's remarks, Velayati said that the Holocaust was a genocide and a historical reality.^[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'.^[86]

In June 2007, Ahmadinejad was criticized by some Iranian parliament members over his remark about Christianity and Judaism. 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".^[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.^[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]

[edit] 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."^{[citation needed]} 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.

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

[edit] 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. According to the Iranian Student News Agency, students set fire to photographs of Ahmadinejad and threw firecrackers. The protesters also chanted "death to the dictator." It was the first major public protest against Ahmadinejad since his election. In a statement carried on the students' Web site,^{[citation needed]} 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." It was also reported that some students were angry about the International Conference to Review the Global Vision of the Holocaust.^[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.^[100][94]

[edit] 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.^[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]

[edit] Foreign relations

[edit] 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.^[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. 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.

On May 8, 2006, Ahmadinejad sent a personal letter to President Bush to propose "new ways" to end Iran's nuclear dispute.^[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.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."^[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. 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."^[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. ^[117]

[edit] 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. 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.^[118] More recently, Iran has been increasingly pushed into an alliance with Moscow due to the controversy over Iran's nuclear program. 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.

[edit] Relations with Venezuela

See also: Iran-Venezuela relations

Ahmadinejad has sought to develop ties with other world leaders that are also opposed to American hegemony and influence like Hugo Chavez of Venezuela.^[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.^[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]

[edit] Regional relations

Immediately after the Islamic Revolution, Iran's relations with most of its neighbors, particularly those with large Shiite minorities, were severely strained.^[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.^[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. Ahmadinejad made a visit to Ankara in order to reinforce relations with Turkey immediately after the 2007 NIE report was released.^[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.^[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.^[131] Ahmadinejad has sought reconciliation with the Arab states by encouraging bilateral trade and posturing for Iranian entry into the Gulf Cooperation Council.^[132] Outside of the Persian Gulf, Ahmadinejad has sought to reestablish relations with other major Arab states, most notably Egypt.^[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.^[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."^[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. In theory, the plan will help to integrate South Asian economies, and, by consequence, calm tensions between Pakistan and India.^[138]

Ahmadinejad met foreign minister Elmar Mammadyarov of Azerbaijan in order to discuss increased cooperation between the two nations.^[139] Mammadyarov also expressed desire to expand the North-South corridor between Iran and Azerbaijan and to launch cooperative projects regarding power plant construction.^[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.^[140]

[edit] Iraq

Ahmadinejad is the first Iranian president to visit Iraq.^[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."^[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.^[143]

[edit] 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.^[144] In an interview with Der Spiegel Ahmadinejad again questioned the Holocaust several times, insisting there were "two opinions" on it. 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.^[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][verification needed]} have accused Ahmadinejad of antisemitism. On December 11, 2006 the "International Conference to Review the Global Vision of the Holocaust" opened with widespread condemnation.^[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.^[151]

[edit] See also

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

[edit] References

[edit] Further reading

Find more about Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wikipedia's sister projects:
	Dictionary definitions
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	Learning resources

• Harris, David [13] (2004). The Crisis: the President, the Prophet, and the Shah—1979 and the Coming of Militant Islam. Little, Brown. 

[edit] 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

v • d • e Mahmoud Ahmadinejad 2005 presidential election · Controversies · 1979 Hostage Crisis · Israel · International Conference to Review the Global Vision of the Holocaust · Letter to G.W. Bush

v • d • e Presidents of Iran Abolhassan Banisadr (1980–81) • Mohammad-Ali Rajai (1981) • Ali Khamenei (1981–89) • Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani (1989–97) • Mohammad Khatami (1997–2005) • Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (2005–present)

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