Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad born October 28 1956 is an Iranian politician who served as the sixth President of Iran from 2005 to 2013 Before his presidency he served as Mayor of Tehran from 2003 to 2005 During his two terms in office Ahmadinejad became one of Irans most internationally controversial figures known for his hardline stance on Irans nuclear program his confrontational relationship with Western governments and his inflammatory rhetoric particularly regarding Israel and the Holocaust His presidency coincided with a significant tightening of international sanctions on Iran His disputed reelection in 2009 triggered massive protests known as the Green Movement one of the largest political upheavals in postrevolutionary Iran After leaving office he fell out of favor with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei His bids to run in the 2017 and 2021 presidential elections were both blocked by Irans Guardian Council