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On June 29, 2005, shortly after Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won the Iranian presidential election, several major news outlets publicized various criticisms against him. These include alleged charges that he participated in the 1979-1981 Iran Hostage Crisis, assassinations of Kurdish politicians in Austria, support of or involvement in "terrorist" activities, torture, interrogation and executions of political prisoners in the Evin prison in Tehran. Image File history File links Merge-arrow. ... Mahmoud Ahmadinejad[1] (born October 28, 1956)[2] is the sixth and current President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. ... Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Image File history File links WikiNews-Logo. ... Wikinews is a free-content news source and a project of the Wikimedia Foundation. ... is the 180th day of the year (181st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Mahmoud Ahmadinejad[1] (born October 28, 1956)[2] is the sixth and current President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. ... Iranian militants escort a blindfolded U.S. hostage to the media. ... Assassin and Assassins redirect here. ... For other uses, see Kurdistan (disambiguation). ... This article is becoming very long. ... For other uses, see Torture (disambiguation). ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... A political prisoner is anyone held in prison or otherwise detained, perhaps under house arrest, because their ideas or image either challenge or pose a real or potential threat to the state. ... Evin Prison (زندان اوین) is a prison in Iran, located in the north of Tehran. ... For other uses, see Tehran (disambiguation). ...

Ahmadinejad and his political supporters have denied these allegations. Additionally, a number of Ahmadinejad's political opponents in Iran have specifically denied allegations of his participation in the Iran Hostage Crisis. The Iranian government stated that the allegations circulating against Ahmadinejad in the Western media are part of a smear campaign orchestrated by the United States and what Iranian officials have referred to as "Zionist media,"^{[citation needed]} directed against Ahmadinejad in specific and Iran in general. Iranian militants escort a blindfolded U.S. hostage to the media. ... Occident redirects here. ... A smear campaign or smear tactics are deliberate attempts by an individual or group to malign another individual or groups reputation. ... This article is about Zionism as a movement, not the History of Israel. ...

In July of 2005, US President George W. Bush declared that these charges were serious and that the US Department of State ^{[citation needed]} and Homeland Security ^{[citation needed]} have stated that the Iranian President was one of the students who took over the US Embassy in November 1979. Although a later CIA investigation "has determined with 'relative certainty' that Iran's new president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was not involved in the taking of U.S. hostages 28 years ago, three government officials told CNN ... Another U.S. official said the tone of the report is that there is no evidence to date that the new Iranian president was among those who held U.S. diplomats hostage."^[1] Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      For other uses, see President of the United States (disambiguation). ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the forty-third and current President of the United States of America, originally inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... Department of State redirects here. ... DHS redirects here. ...

From before the second round of the election, in late July 2005, there have also been allegations of political corruption from Ahmadinejad's political opponents inside Iran, especially his opponents in the reformist parties.^{[citation needed]}

Alleged involvement in the 1979 Hostage Crisis

Some previous hostages have identified Ahmadinejad as the man in the military jacket on the hostage's left side. Several other sources, including Ahmadinejad, and other hostage takers have disputed these identifications.

Image File history File links Ahmadinejad_alleged. ... Image File history File links Ahmadinejad_alleged. ...

Alleged participation in the planning and leadership of the embassy takeover

Shargh has identified the three main leaders of the takeover as Ebrahim Asgharzadeh, Mohsen Mirdamadi, and Habibolah Bitaraf.^{[citation needed]}Masoumeh Ebtekar, a spokeswoman for the hostage takers who was nicknamed "Sister Mary" by U.S. media during the crisis, said Ahmadinejad had actually been opposed to the takeover of the embassy.^[2] Ahmadinejad has also said that he did not support the embassy takeover until Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini endorsed it.^{[citation needed]} The endorsement came late on November 4, 1979, the day the embassy was seized.^[3] Reportedly, Ahmadinejad argued that the protest ought to be directed at the Soviet embassy instead, and al-Jazeera reported that when OSU leaders planned the attack on the US embassy in 1979, Ahmadinejad actually proposed simultaneous action against the Soviet embassy.^[4] Shargh (شرق in Persian, translated as East in English) is the most popular reformist newspaper in Iran (Persia). ... Ebrahim Asgharzadeh Ebrahim Asgharzadeh (Persian:ابراهیم اصغرزاده) has served as a member of the 3th Majlis (Irans legislature) during 1989-1993 and as member of the first City Council of Tehran during 1999-2003. ... Mohsen Mirdamadi is the secretary general of IIPF, since September of 2006. ... Habibolah Bitaraf was Power Minister for 8 years in Mohammad Khatami peresidency. ... Masoumeh Ebtekar (Persian: معصومه ابتکار; born 1960) is an Iranian scientist and politician. ... This article is about the TV network and channel. ...

Abolhassan Banisadr, the exiled former President of Iran stated that Ahmadinejad's job on the hostage holding team was to act as direct liaison reporting to Ayatollah Khomeini the status of the hostages. Bani-Sadr also reported that the photograph identified as Ahmadinejad was another agitator who was later imprisoned by Rafsanjani and "committed suicide" while in prison. Abolhassan Banisadr Abolhassan Banisadr (Persian: ابوالحسن بنی‌صدر;born March 22, 1933) was the first elected President of Iran after the 1979 Iranian Revolution. ... President Rafsanjani Akbar Hashemi Bahramani (Persian: اکبر هاشمی بهرمانی), famously known as Hashemi Rafsanjani (هاشمی رفسنجانی) (born August 25, 1934) is one of the most influential...

Identification by former hostages

With Ahmadinejad's recent publicity, five former U.S. hostages Dr. William Daugherty (who worked for the CIA in Iran), Kevin Hermening, David Roeder, US Army Col. Charles Scott (Ret.), and US Navy Capt. Donald Sharer (Ret.) have alleged that Ahmadinejad was one of the leaders of the Iran Hostage Crisis at the U.S. embassy in Tehran, during their 444-day captivity starting on November 4, 1979. All of the above-mentioned hostages have claimed that Ahmadinejad is the man whom they remember from their captivity. Ahmadinejad denies his presence in the embassy, other hostages are unsure about the identification and the CIA has reportedly questioned this identification. The CIA Seal The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an American intelligence agency, responsible for obtaining and analyzing information about foreign governments, corporations, and individuals, and reporting such information to the various branches of the U.S. Government. ... The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... Colonel (Ger: Oberst) is a military rank, usually the highest below general grades, and just above Lieutenant Colonel. ... Charles Scott was the Governor of Kentucky from 1808 to 1812. ... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ... Captain is both a nautical term and a military rank. ... Iranian militants escort a blindfolded U.S. hostage to the media. ... A diplomatic mission is a group of people from one nation state present in another nation state to represent the sending state in the receiving State. ... For other uses, see Tehran (disambiguation). ... is the 308th day of the year (309th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ...

Col. Charles Scott, now seventy-three, recently told the Washington Times^[5] that "He was one of the top two or three leaders; the new president of Iran is a terrorist." Col. Scott claimed to recall an incident when Ahmadinejad berated a friendly Iranian guard who had allowed the two Americans to visit another U.S. hostage in a neighboring cell. Col. Scott, who understands Farsi, said Ahmadinejad told the guard: "You shouldn't let these pigs out of their cells". Donald Sharer, a retired Navy captain who was for a time a cellmate of Col. Scott at the Evin prison in northern Tehran, remembered Ahmadinejad as "a hard-liner, a cruel individual". "I know he was an interrogator", said Capt. Sharer, now 64. Former hostages William Daugherty and Kevin Hermening also claim he was involved. The Washington Times is a daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C.. It was founded in 1982 as a conservative alternative to the Washington Post by members of the controversial Unification Church. ... Farsi may refer to: The name of the the Persian language among native speakers Farsi Island, an Iranian island in the Persian Gulf The Jafari Shia Tajiks of Central Asia Salman al-Farsi, one of the prophet Muhammads companions Al-Farisi (1260-1320), Persian mathematician and physicist Jalaleddin Farsi...

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

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

In a September, 2005 interview of Ray Takeyh, a senior fellow on the Washington based Council on Foreign Relations, discussed his opinions on the above allegations, stating: Ray Takeyh on PBS (February 20, 2004). ... The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an influential and independent, nonpartisan foreign policy membership organization founded in 1921 and based at 58 East 68th Street (corner Park Avenue) in New York City, with an additional office in Washington, D.C. Through its membership, meetings, and studies, it has been...

There is no evidence to suggest that Ahmadinejad was one of the captors during the 1979 hostage-taking at the U.S. embassy in Tehran; the CIA itself has suggested he was not part of it. But here you get into a tricky position because the Bush administration is unwilling to contradict the American hostages. Five of the hostages have claimed that Ahmadinejad was one of their captors. The CIA, after a laborious investigation, has not accepted that claim. But politically, it's difficult for the Bush administration to take a position different from those who suffered 444 days of captivity.^[6]

The CIA Seal The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an American intelligence agency, responsible for obtaining and analyzing information about foreign governments, corporations, and individuals, and reporting such information to the various branches of the U.S. Government. ...

Identification by former Iranian President Bani Sadr

Former Iranian president Abolhassan Banisadr claimed that Ahmadinejad was among those inside the Embassy but was not a decision maker.^[7] According to Banisadr, Ahmadinejad was not only present in the occupied compound, but served as liaison between the hostage-takers and Ali Khamenei, the Friday prayer leader of Tehran at that time. (He stated Khamenei himself, today Iran’s Supreme Leader, visited the hostage-takers repeatedly in the compound.)^[8] Bani-Sadr also confirmed that Ahmadinejad was initially opposed to the hostage-taking but once Khomeini gave his agreement, he changed his mind. Abolhassan Banisadr Abolhassan Banisadr (Persian: ابوالحسن بنی‌صدر;born March 22, 1933) was the first elected President of Iran after the 1979 Iranian Revolution. ... Grand Âyatollâh   (Persian: آیت‌الله سید علی حسینی کس ننه ای Ä€yatollāh Seyyed `AlÄ« ḤoseynÄ« KhāmeneÄ«) (born 17 July 1939), also known as Seyyed Ali Khamenei,[1] is the current Supreme Leader of Iran and was the president of Iran from 1981 to 1989. ...

Rejection by former hostage takers

Many of the former hostage takers have stated that Ahmadinejad was in no way involved in the Hostage Crisis. Bijan Abidi, one of the hostage takers, said that "There was no one by that name (Ahmadinejad) among the students who took part in the U.S. Embassy seizure." Mohsen Mirdamadi, one of the student leaders, and Masoumeh Ebtekar, the spokeswoman of the students who later became a Vice President under President Khatami, have also denied Ahmadinejad's involvement. Abbas Abdi, another leader of the embassy takeover, and subsequently a political opponent of Ahmadinejad, expressed certainty that Ahmadinejad was not involved. "Definitely he was not among the students who took part in the seizure," Abdi said. "He was not part of us. He played no role in the seizure, let alone being responsible for security [for the students]." Rosen has stated that Abdi lacks credibility on this issue. Rosen reported that Abdi told him personally during a 1998 meeting in Paris that Abdi, while heavily involved in the embassy takeover, was never actually inside the embassy building. "So he can't maintain that [Ahmadinejad] was or wasn't," Rosen stated. Mohsen Mirdamadi is the secretary general of IIPF, since September of 2006. ... Masoumeh Ebtekar (Persian: معصومه ابتکار; born 1960) is an Iranian scientist and politician. ... Abbas Abdi, a reformist politician. ... This article is about the capital of France. ...

Rejection by Ahmadinejad

An aide to Ahmadinejad, Meisam Rowhani, denied all claims that Ahmadinejad was involved in the Hostage Crisis. Rowhani stated that Ahmadinejad was asked during recent private meetings if he had a role in the hostage taking. Rowhani said he replied, "No. I believed that if we do that the world will swallow us." Although Ahmadinejad has publicly expressed support for the hostage taking, he has claimed that he only supported the embassy takeover after Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini expressed support, and that he was never actually involved. Ayatollah Khomeini founded the first modern Islamic republic Ayatollah Seyyed Ruhollah Khomeini (آیت‌الله روح‌الله خمینی in Persian) (May 17, 1900 – June 3, 1989) was an Iranian Shia cleric and the political...

The Iran Focus photograph controversy

Iran Focus, one of numerous web outlets of the MKO militant group (based in Camp Ashraf, Iraq)^[9] originally claimed that they had obtained a photograph of a younger Ahmadinejad with a hostage, which was quickly published by the major Western news agencies AP, Reuters, and AFP. Publication of the photograph drew criticism because it was presented to the world without due investigation or verification. It is proposed that this article be deleted, because of the following concern: This article isnt serving any purpose, and lacks references. ... ... Camp Ashraf or Ashraf City is situated northeast of the Iraqi town of Khalis, about 20 kilometers west of the Iranian border and 60 kilometers north of Baghdad. ... Definition A news agency is an organization of journalists established to supply news reports to organizations in the news trade: newspapers, magazines, and radio and television broadcasters. ... The Associated Press, or AP, is an American news agency, the worlds largest such organization. ... Reuters Group plc (LSE: RTR and NASDAQ: RTRSY); pronounced is known as a financial market data provider and a news service that provides reports from around the world to newspapers and broadcasters. ... AFP is a three-letter acronym that may refer to: Advertiser funded programming Acute flaccid paralysis Active FoxPro Pages Advanced Flexible Processor, a model of Cyber computer by Control Data Corporation Advanced Function Presentation, an IBM printing architecture and file format Agence France-Presse, a major news agency Alpha-fetoprotein...

In response to the publication Saeed Hajjarian, a reformist politician with a background in intelligence, denied that the picture is Ahmadinejad. Hajjarian told Associated Press and later ISNA that the person in the photograph is a student named Taghi Mohammadi. Associated Press and other sources reported that Mohammadi was a militant who later turned into a dissident. He was arrested for being connected to the MKO and was involved in the assassinations of President Mohammad Ali Rajai and Prime Minister Mohammad Javad Bahonar. He committed suicide in jail.^[10] Hajjarian, a former secret agent, was widely believed to be the main strategist behind the 1997 reform movement of Iran Hajjarian was shot in the head on the doorsteps of Tehran city council in March 2000 Hajjarian escaped almost certain death, but he has been paralyzed for life. ... The Associated Press, or AP, is an American news agency, the worlds largest such organization. ... ISNA can refer to: Iranian Students News Agency Intersex Society of North America This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The Associated Press, or AP, is an American news agency, the worlds largest such organization. ... The word militant has come to refer to any individual or party engaged in aggressive physical or verbal combat, normally for a cause. ... For the Pearl Jam song, see Dissident (song). ... ... Mohammad Ali Rajai Mohammad Ali Rajai (محمد علی رجائی in Persian) (1933 – August 30, 1981) was the second elected President of Iran, after serving as Prime Minister under Abolhassan Banisadr. ... Mohammad Javad Bahonar (محمدجواد باهنر in Persian), (1933 - August 30, 1981), was the second prime minister of Iran following the 1979 revolution, and the secretary-general of the Islamic Republic Party. ... For other uses, see Suicide (disambiguation). ...

Alternatively,Ebrahim Asgharzadeh, one of the spokesmen for the hostage-taking students, identified the figure in the photo as "Ranjbaran". Asgharzadeh claims Ranjbaran was hanged for being a spy for MKO.^[11] Ebrahim Asgharzadeh Ebrahim Asgharzadeh (Persian:ابراهیم اصغرزاده) has served as a member of the 3th Majlis (Irans legislature) during 1989-1993 and as member of the first City Council of Tehran during 1999-2003. ... ...

On July 2, 2005 the LA Times reported that "A U.S. official familiar with the investigation of Ahmadinejad's role said that analysts had found "serious discrepancies" between the figure depicted in the 1979 photo and images of the Iranian president. The discrepancies included differences in facial structure and features.^[12] is the 183rd day of the year (184th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This just IN !!!:paris hiltons new dog. ...

CIA has "relative certainty" Ahmedinejad wasn't involved

CNN has reported from multiple official sources^[1] the result of a CIA investigation into whether Ahmedinejad was involved in the hostage taking:

A CIA report has determined with "relative certainty" that Iran's new president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was not involved in the taking of U.S. hostages 26 years ago, three government officials told CNN ... Another U.S. official said the tone of the report is that there is no evidence to date that the new Iranian president was among those who held U.S. diplomats hostage.^[1]

The CNN report continues stating that "CIA analysis of a photograph of one of the hostage-takers determined that the man was not Ahmadinejad."^[1]

Kurdish-Austrian accusations

Peter Pilz, an Austrian politician and former spokesman of the Austrian Green Party, has alleged Ahmadinejad possibly had a hand in international assassinations ordered by the Iranian government against political opposition groups,^[13] including a 1989 assassination of exiled Kurdish leader Ebdulrehman Qasimlo and two of his associates in Vienna. After Ahmadinejad's election to presidency, in early July 2005, Pilz passed his documents about his claims to the Austrian Interior ministry, which "were then forwarded to the state prosecutor's office."^[14] Peter Pilz (middle) on his 50th birthday (Austrian Armed Forces Photograph) Peter Pilz (born January 22, 1954) is an Austrian politician and a leading member of the Austrian Green Party. ... A spokesperson (person could be replaced with the gender of the person), or spokesmodel is a person who speaks on behalf of others, but is understood not to be necessarily part of the others (e. ... The Austrian Green Party (de: Die Grünen - Die Grüne Alternative, or Die Grünen) is a political party in the Austrian parliament. ... Exile (band) may refer to: Exile - The American country music band Exile - The Japanese pop music band Category: ... Ebdulrehman Qasimlo is a Kurd from Eastern Kurdistan (Kurdistana Rojhilat - also known as Iranian Kurdistan). ... For other uses, see Vienna (disambiguation). ...

This allegation has been denied by several sources in Iran, including Saeed Hajjarian, a political opponent of Ahmadinejad.^[15] Also notable among the deniers, is Ali Rabiee, the intelligence advisor to the reformist President Khatami, who stated "during the mentioned accident happened, I was present in action regions of northwest and western Iran, and at that time Mr. Ahmadinejad was only involved at the civil construction work in the governing offices of Maku and the province". At the same time, the allegation has been echoed by a spokesman for the People's Mujahedin of Iran, an opposition group in exile. Hajjarian, a former secret agent, was widely believed to be the main strategist behind the 1997 reform movement of Iran Hajjarian was shot in the head on the doorsteps of Tehran city council in March 2000 Hajjarian escaped almost certain death, but he has been paralyzed for life. ... Region of the old Armenia c. ... “MKO” redirects here. ...

Reuters has mentioned that information [Pilz] received from an "extraordinarily credible" informer, an Iranian journalist living in France who Pilz calls only "witness D". [...] Witness D's information came from one of the alleged gunmen, who contacted Witness D in 2001 but later drowned, Pilz said.^[16] Supporters of Ahmadinejad have questioned the credibility of such information, have mentioned that Pilz is a Jew, and have called the media reporting these to be "Zionist media." Also, Hamid Reza Asefi, the spokesman of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that, "The charges are so self-evidently false they are not worthy of response. […] We advise the Europeans not to fall into the trap of the Zionist media and to separate their interests from America and the Zionist entity (referring to the state of Israel)."^[17] Concerning to Peter Pilz, a person called Zeuge D (germ:witness D) has information, that the elected president of Iran, Mahmood Ahmadinejad, participated in the murder of 3 kurds in Vienna in 1989. ... Hamid Reza Assefi (In Persian: حمیدرضا آصفی) is the Spokesman, Vice Minister of Parliamentary and Consular Affairs and Communication, and the Special Assistant to the Minister at the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. ...

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

Alleged election fraud

During the Iranian presidential election of 2005, some people, including Mehdi Karroubi, a reformist candidate who ranked third in the election, alleged that a network of mosques, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, and Basij militia forces, have been illegally used to generate and mobilize support for Ahmadinejad. Karroubi has explicitly alleged that Mojtaba Khamenei, a son of the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, is involved. Ahmadinejad's supporters consider these to be false allegations. Furthermore, Khamenei has written to Karroubi stating that his allegations are "below his dignity" and "will result in a crisis"; in Iran, which he will not allow. As a reply, Karroubi resigned from all his political posts, including his positions as an adviser to the Supreme Leader and as a member of the Expediency Discernment Council, both of which he had been appointed to directly by Khamenei. Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Ahmadinejad's rival in the second round, has also pointed to what he claims are "organized and unjust" interventions conducted by "guiding" the votes, and has supported Karroubi's complaint.^[18] Rafsanjani also alleged a "dirty tricks" campaign had "illegally" propelled Ahmadinejad into the presidency, an allegation which he strongly denies. In the same statement, Rafsanjani stated that he would only appeal the election results to "God", and recommended accepting the results and "assisting" the new president-elect. The Iranian presidential election of 2005, the ninth presidential election in Iranian history, took place in two rounds, first on June 17, 2005, and then as a run-off on June 24. ... Hojjat ol-Eslam Mehdi Karroubi (مهدی کروبی ; born 1939? in Aligoudarz in Lorestan) is an Iranian politician and cleric, the resigned chairman and founding member of the Militant Clerics Society party. ... The Masjid al-Haram in Mecca as it exists today A mosque is a place of worship for followers of the Islamic faith. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Basij (also Bassij or Baseej, Persian: ‎), is an Islamic Republic paramilitary force that was founded by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in November of 1979 to provide volunteers for human wave attacks in the Iran-Iraq War. ... The post of Supreme Leader (Persian: رهبر انقلاب, Rahbare Enqelab,[1] lit. ... Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei (Persian: آیت‌الله سید علی خامنه‌ای) (born July 15, 1939) is the Iran. ... The Expediency Discernment Council of the System [1] (Persian: ), is an administrative assembly appointed by the Supreme Leader [2] and was created upon the revision to the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Iran on 6 February 1988 [3]. Its purpose is to resolve differences or conflicts between the Majlis and... Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani (Persian: اکبر هاشمی رفسنجانی Akbar HāshemÄ« RafanjānÄ«), Hashemi Bahramani (هاشمی بهرمانی) born on August 25, 1934, is an influential Iranian politician, and is currently serving as the Chairman of the Expediency Discernment Council of Iran. ...

Some political groups, including the reformist party Islamic Iran Participation Front (IIPF), allege that Ahmadinejad received illegal support and advertising activities from supervisors selected by the Guardian Council who should have remained nonpartisan according to the election law. Also, the reformist newspaper Shargh pointed out an announcement by Movahhedi Kermani, the official representative of the Supreme Leader in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, who was quoted as saying, "vote for a person who keeps to the minimum in his advertisements and doesn't lavish," which uniquely pointed to Ahmadinejad, whose supporters touted as being not wealthy. The Islamic Iran Participation Front (Jebheye Mosharekate Iran-e Eslaami, جبهه مشارکت ایران اسلامی in Persian) is a reformist political party in Iran. ... The Guardian Council of the Constitution[1] (Persian: شورای نگهبان قانون اساسی) is a high chamber within the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran. ... Shargh (شرق in Persian, translated as East in English) is the most popular reformist newspaper in Iran (Persia). ... Hojatoleslam/Ayatollah Ali Movahedi-Kermani is representative of Ali Khamenei in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards in the Islamic Republic of Iran. ...

Support for Navvab Safavi

On 10 January 2006, President Ahmadinejad declared that his government is following the "religious mission" initiated by Navvab Safavi, a Shi'a cleric who assassinated the historian and author Ahmad Kasravi in 1946 for "insulting Islam." In 2001, Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi, Ahmadinejad’s ideological mentor, praised Safavi and encouraged Muslims in taking similar steps against the "enemies of Islam."^[19][20] Navab Safavi, leader of the group Fadaiyan-i Islam Navvab Safavi (1924-1955) was a militant cleric responsible for the assasination of many Iranian politicians. ... Ahmad Kasravi Tabrizi (b. ... Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi (Persian: محمد تقی مصباح یزدی) (born 1934) is an Iranian Shia cleric and politician. ...

9/11

In a letter to George Bush, Ahmadinejad asks, "Could it be planned and executed without coordination with intelligence and security services — or their extensive infiltration? Of course this is just an educated guess. Why have the various aspects of the attacks been kept secret? Why are we not told who botched their responsibilities? And, why aren’t those responsible and the guilty parties identified and put on trial?"^[21]

Charges of fascism

Many reformist and independent political parties, including some of those who boycotted the first round of the presidential election, have called for an alliance against Ahmadinejad, calling it "a national alliance against fascism". For example, IIPF and the Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization asked for people voting in the second round, to "prevent the danger of a rise of religious fascism".^{[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. Fascism is an authoritarian political ideology (generally tied to a mass movement) that considers individual and other societal interests subordinate to the interests of the state. ... Eugène Delacroixs Liberty Leading the People, symbolising French nationalism during the July Revolution 1830. ... Manifestations Slavery Racial profiling Lynching Hate speech Hate crime Genocide (examples) Ethnocide Ethnic cleansing Pogrom Race war Religious persecution Gay bashing Blood libel Paternalism Police brutality Movements Policies Discriminatory Race / Religion / Sex segregation Apartheid Redlining Internment Anti-discriminatory Emancipation Civil rights Desegregation Integration Equal opportunity Counter-discriminatory Affirmative action Racial... Historically, corporatism or corporativism (Italian: corporativismo) refers to a political or economic system in which power is given to civic assemblies that represent economic, industrial, agrarian, social, cultural, and professional groups. ...

Some dissident groups also accuse him of being a ruthless interrogator and torturer in the 1980s.^[22]

Denying the Holocaust

Main article: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Israel

In December 2005 Ahmadinejad made several controversial statements regarding the Holocaust and the State of Israel, at one point supposedly referring to the Holocaust as a "myth" and criticizing European laws against Holocaust denial. According to a report on Wednesday December 14, 2005 from the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, Ahmadinejad said, "They have invented a myth that Jews were massacred and place this above God, religions and the prophets."^[23] He said that although he does not know whether or not nor to what extent the Holocaust occurred, if it had in fact occurred, European countries should make amends to the Jewish people by giving them land to establish a state in "Europe, the United States, Canada or Alaska" instead of making "the innocent nation of Palestine pay for this crime."^[24] The statements were condemned by many world leaders. During his presidency, Mahmoud Ahmadinejads speeches and statements have contributed to increased tensions between Iran and Israel, and between Iran and a few Western nations. ... December 2005 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December- → 31 December 2005 (Saturday) 25-year-old Scottish human rights worker Kate Burton and her parents are freed unharmed in the Gaza Strip by the Palestinian gunmen who kidnapped them two days earlier. ... “Shoah” redirects here. ... Richard Harwoods Did Six Million Really Die? Holocaust denial is the claim that the mainstream historical version of the Holocaust is either highly exaggerated or completely falsified. ...

The head of Iran's Jewish community, Haroun Yashayaei, sent a letter to Ahmadinejad in early 2006 that read, in part, "How is it possible to ignore all of the undeniable evidence existing for the exile and massacre of the Jews in Europe during World War Two? Challenging one of the most obvious and saddening events of 20th-century humanity has created astonishment among the people of the world and spread fear and anxiety among the small Jewish community of Iran."^[25] A modern-day synagogue in Iran. ...

In February 2006, Former President Mohammad Khatami clearly rejected Ahmadinejad's remarks by calling the Holocaust a "historic fact".^[26] Media:Example. ... Mohammad Khatami (Persian : سید محمد خاتمی Seyyed Moḥammad KhātamÄ«), born on September 29, 1943, in Ardakan city of Yazd province, is an Iranian intellectual, philosopher and political figure. ...

In a September 2006 with NBC Nightly News Anchor Brian Williams, Ahmadinejad clarified his remarks, saying that when he called the Holocaust a myth he was merely trying to communicate that it was not just Jews that died, but millions of people and he wants to know why it is the Palestinian people that have to pay for the Nazis' slaughter of the Jewish people.^[27] September 2006 is the ninth month of 2006 and has begun on a Friday. ... This article is about the American journalist. ...

In the second World War, over 60 million people lost their lives. They were all human beings. Why is it that only a select group of those who were killed have become so prominent and important? Do you think that the 60 million who lost their lives were all at the result of warfare alone? There were two million that were part of the military at the time, perhaps altogether, 50 million civilians with no roles in the war — Christians, Muslims. They were all killed. The second and more important question that I raised was, if this event happened, and if it is a historical event, then we should allow everyone to research it and study it. The more research and studies are done, the more we can become aware of the realities that happened. We still leave open to further studies absolute knowledge of science or math. Historical events are always subject to revisions, and reviews and studies. We're still revising our thoughts about what happened over thousands of years ago. Why is it that those who ask questions are persecuted? Why is every word so sensitivity or such prohibition on further studies on the subject? Where as we can openly question God, the prophet, concepts such as freedom and democracy? And the third question that I raised in this regard: if this happened, where did it happen? Did the Palestinian people have anything to do with it? Why should the Palestinians pay for it now? Five million displaced Palestinian people is what I'm talking about. Over 60 years of living under threat. Losing the lives of thousands of dear ones. And homes that are destroyed on a daily basis over people's heads. You might argue that the Jews have the right to have a government. We're not against that. But where? At a place where their people were — several people will vote for them, and where they can govern.

Ahmadinejad and the sixteen-year-old nuclear scientist

A video clip of his addressing a group of a people in a mosque was disseminated through YouTube, in which he claimed he had witnessed a sixteen year old girl, produce nuclear energy in her home. You can view the subtitled version of this clip from here.[1] Here is the transcript of this video clip:

" A lady teacher called me the other day and said that they had a sixteen-year-old student in their high school come and say that she had discovered the nuclear energy. I said 'form a session and investigate how much of it is true.' They did so and realised that apparently it is quite serious. They informed me and then I called the head of Iran's head of nuclear energy organization and told him that there is such a case in which a high school student has claimed so. 'Investigate and confirm it and if it is true, support her.' They invited our nuclear scientists — average age of whom would not exceed 25 years. They assembled and asked her questions and saw that she is right. They asked her permission to see her house to see how she had succeeded. They went and saw that this little high school student with the help of her brother, had gathered the required parts from bazaar and installed them and, actually, had produced nuclear energy! So they decided to put an escort on her and ...( here the clip ends).

This video clip was shown in Iran's Parliament and caused frustration there.

On December 11, 2006 the "International Conference to Review the Global Vision of the Holocaust" opened, to widespread condemnation.^[28] The conference, called for by and held at the behest of Ahmadinejad,^[29] was widely described as a "Holocaust denial conference" or a "meeting of Holocaust deniers",^[30] though Iran insists it is not a Holocaust denial conference.^[31] December 11 is the 345th day of the year (346th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Participants on the first day of the conference. ... Richard Harwoods Did Six Million Really Die? Holocaust denial is the claim that the mainstream historical version of the Holocaust is either highly exaggerated or completely falsified. ...

Accusations of anti-semitism

Criticism of the perceived anti-Semitic statements of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has come from the U.S. Senate, which passed a unanimous resolution condemning his "harmful, destructive, and anti-semitic statements." Identification of Ahmadinejad with anti-semitism has come from a variety of sources.^[32][33][34]

The Iranian government has responded that "the Western media empire is trying to portray Iran as an anti-semitic country"^[35] and alternate translations have been cited to contradict the accusations.^{[citation needed]} Currently, 40,000 Jews live in Iran and have representation in the Iranian parliament in the form of a Jewish MP, Maurice Mohtamed. Their treatment is a matter of great debate, some stating that the Jews are treated better than other religious minorities in Iran.^[36]

In addition Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has stated that "Jews are respected by everyone, by all human beings ... some people think if they accuse me of being anti-Jew they can solve the problem. No, I am not anti-Jew ... I respect them very much ... We love everyone in the world — Jews, Christians, Muslims, non-Muslims, non-Jews, non-Christians".^[37] The Eternal Jew: 1937 German poster. ...

Banning of Western music

In December 2005 President Ahmadinejad banned Western and "offensive" music from state-run radio and television stations. The ban follows a ruling in October by the Supreme Cultural Revolutionary Council to ban Western songs from Iranian airwaves.^[38]

Popular forms of western music (hip-hop, rock, jazz) have however been banned in Iran for many years, since the days of Khomeini. At the same time, some forms of western music, such as classical music, are regularly aired on state radios.

Relations with the foreign press

On 16 January 2006, Cable News Network (CNN) was temporarily banned in Iran by the Iranian Ministry of Culture, after misreporting the remarks by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made during a press conference held on 14 January 2006. The president, talking to domestic and foreign reporters, said the peaceful use of nuclear energy is a right which Iran cannot be denied. However, a CNN interpreter incorrectly quoted Ahmadinejad as saying "the use of nuclear weapons is Iran's right." CNN later apologised for its mistake. Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Cable News Network, commonly known as CNN, is a major cable television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. ...

President Ahmadinejad allowed CNN to resume broadcasting on 17 January 2006 after the apology.^[39] In his letter to the Minister of Culture, he wrote 'We believe that accurate dissemination of news and information is necessary for political growth and awareness as well as effective interaction among nations in today's world.

Since the Iranian Revolution, no Iranian reporters have been allowed to enter the United States or take part in a press conference of the U.S. President. Reporters employed by the state-run IRIB have only been allowed to cover UN events and are only able to travel within a 17 mile radius of New York City. For this reason several IRIB reporters criticised President Ahmadinejad on his support for CNN.^[40] Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, or IRIB, is the Iranian organization in control of radio and television. ... UN and U.N. redirect here. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ...

Iran blocks major Web sites

A campaign, led by Iran's Islamist president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, attempts to free the country of Western cultural influences, via the Internet. Human rights groups, YouTube, b3ta and Wikipedia are amongst the major Web sites blocked. Reporters Without Borders branded Iran, along with 13 other countries, as "enemies of the Internet" in November 2006.^[41] The group has been actively campaigning against these nations which have been blocking sites and even intimidating and jailing bloggers. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad[1] (born October 28, 1956)[2] is the sixth and current President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. ... YouTube is a popular video sharing website where users can upload, view and share video clips. ... B3ta is a humorous British website, described as a puerile digital arts community by The Guardian [1]. It was founded by Rob Manuel, Denise Wilton and Cal Henderson. ... Wikipedia (IPA: , or ( ) is a multilingual, web-based, free content encyclopedia project, operated by the Wikimedia Foundation, a non-profit organization. ... Reporters Without Borders, or RWB (French: Reporters sans frontières, Spanish: Reporteros Sin Fronteras, or RSF) is a French origin international non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of the press, founded by its current general-secretary, Robert Menard. ...

Iran has about 7.5 million Internet users^[42] which is the highest number of web users in the Middle East.^[43] The country also has more than 100,000 bloggers, some of which are substitutes for Iran's suppressed, reformist press.^{[citation needed]} A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ...

Critics accuse Iran of using filtering technology to censor more sites than any country apart from People's Republic of China. Until now, targets have been mainly linked to opposition groups or those deemed "immoral" under Iran's Islamic legal code. Some news sites, such as the BBC's Persian service, are also blocked.

Eschatology

Ahmadinejad's religious beliefs in the imminent return of the "occulted" Shi'a Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi have alarmed some Western commentators.^[44][45] In particular, remarks reportedly made after his speech before the United Nations General Assembly have created concern (translated): Islamic eschatology is concerned with the Qiyamah (end of the world; Last Judgement) and the final judgement of humanity. ... The Shia Imam is considered by the Shia sect of Islam to be the rightful successor to Muhammad, and is similar to the Caliph in Sunni Islam only with regards to the aspect of political leadership. ... It has been suggested that Mahdi be merged into this article or section. ... The United Nations General Assembly (GA, UNGA) is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one which all member nations have equal representation. ...

On the last day when I was speaking before the assembly, one of our group told me that when I started to say "In the name of God the almighty and merciful," he saw a light around me, and I was placed inside this aura. I felt it myself.

I felt the atmosphere suddenly change, and for those 27 or 28 minutes, the leaders of the world did not blink. When I say they didn't bat an eyelid, I'm not exaggerating because I was looking at them. And they were rapt.

It seemed as if a hand was holding them there and had opened their eyes to receive the message from the Islamic republic.^[46]

Former CIA officer Robert Baer said, in the context of evaluating a nuclear strike on Iran, that Ahmadinejad and others in the Iranian government are "apocalyptic Shiites." He continues, "If you’re sitting in Tel Aviv and you believe they’ve got nukes and missiles — you’ve got to take them out. These guys are nuts and there's no reason to back off."^[47] Robert Bobby Baer (born July 1, 1952), is an author and former case officer at the Central Intelligence Agency. ...

Some have conjectured that his actions are strictly a means of bolstering his standing among Islamic fundamentalists.^[48]

Columbia University

On September 24th 2007 Ahmadinejad apeared at Columbia University.Columbia University's president, Lee Bollinger, introduced Ahmadinejad with a combative tone: "Mr. President you exhibit all the signs of a petty and cruel dictator." Ahmadinejad responded by opening his speech saying that his introduction was "an insult to information and knowledge of the audience there." Some of his arguments were met with derisive laughter for example "in Iran we don't have homosexuals,like in your country. We don't have that in our country. In Iran we do not have this phenomenon. I don't know who told you that we have it". (Homosexual practices carry the death penalty in Iran). He say on the issue of the September 11, 2001 attacks that "if the root causes of 9/11 are examined properly, why it happened what caused it, what conditions led to it, who was involved, and put together how to understand and how to prevent the crisis in Iraq, fix the problem in Afghanistan and Iraq combined". He also stated "the most liberated women in the world are the women in Iran". Although the women of iran may vote they are kept beneath the veil . Regarding the Holocaust he said "granted this happened what does this have to do with the Palestinian people"? He used Koranic quotes to criticize the Bush administration and the bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. He also stated the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear ambitions. Outside the convention many protested his presence there. Alma Mater Columbia University is a private university in the United States and a member of the Ivy League. ... Lee C. Bollinger is an American lawyer and educator who is currently serving as the 19th president of Columbia University. ... A dictator is an authoritarian, often totalitarian ruler (e. ... The date that commonly refers to the attacks on United States citizens on September 11, 2001 (see the September 11, 2001 Attacks). ... Voting is a method of decision making wherein a group such as a meeting or an electorate attempts to gauge its opinion—usually as a final step following discussions or debates. ... For other uses, see Holocaust (disambiguation) and Shoah (disambiguation). ... The term Palestinian has other usages, for which see definitions of Palestinian. ... The Quran (Arabic al-qurʾān أَلْقُرآن; also transliterated as Quran, Koran, and less commonly Alcoran) is the holy book of Islam. ... Nagasaki ) ( ) is the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture in Japan. ... For other uses, see Hiroshima (disambiguation). ... The word nuclear means of or belonging to the nucleus of something. ...

External links

• Anti-Ahmadinejad blog

References

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Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 27 is the 361st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (362nd in leap years). ... is the 5th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 27 is the 361st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (362nd in leap years). ... The Washington Times[1] is a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Washington, D.C., United States. ... is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Edmonton Journal is a daily newspaper in Edmonton, Alberta. ... is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This just IN !!!:paris hiltons new dog. ... is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Globe and Mail is a large English language national newspaper based in Toronto, Canada, and printed in seven cities across Canada. ... is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Boston Globe (and Boston Sunday Globe) is the most widely circulated daily newspaper in Boston, Massachusetts and New England. ... is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This just IN !!!:paris hiltons new dog. ... is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Zee News is leading HINDI channel in india. ... is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Calgary Sun is a daily newspaper published in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. ... is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Houston Chronicle is a daily newspaper in Houston, Texas, United States. ... is the 346th day of the year (347th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The International Herald Tribune is a widely read English language international newspaper. ... is the 346th day of the year (347th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Guardian. ... is the 346th day of the year (347th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see The Independent (disambiguation). ... is the 346th day of the year (347th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Bloomberg Television are cable television networks around the world that broadcast business and financial news 24 hours a day. ... December 11 is the 345th day of the year (346th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The New York Times is a daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed internationally. ... December 11 is the 345th day of the year (346th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Front of UPI Headquarters, Washington, D.C. “UPI” redirects here. ... is the 346th day of the year (347th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... is the 346th day of the year (347th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Toronto Sun is an English language daily newspaper published in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ... is the 355th day of the year (356th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Local is an English-language online newspaper published in Sweden. ... is the 348th day of the year (349th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Weekend Edition is the name given to a set of American radio news magazines produced and distributed by National Public Radio (NPR). ... NPR redirects here. ... December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 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Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 27 is the 361st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (362nd in leap years). ... The Islamic Republic News Agency, or IRNA, is the official news agency of the Islamic Republic of Iran. ... 2004 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December See also: June 2004 in sports Deaths in June • 28 Anthony Buckeridge • 26 Naomi Shemer • 26 Yash Johar • 22 Bob Bemer • 22 Thomas Gold • 22 Francisco Ortiz Franco • 16 Thanom Kittikachorn • 10 Ray Charles • 5 Ronald Reagan... is the 239th day of the year (240th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... BBC News is the department within the BBC responsible for the corporations news-gathering and production of news programmes on BBC television, radio and online. ... is the 264th day of the year (265th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 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See also

• Council for Spreading Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's Thoughts
• Mahdaviat