Big Question in Iran: Is Ahmadinejad Alive?
Then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran holds up the Quran, left, and Bible, right, as he addresses the 65th session of the United Nations General Assembly in 2010. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)
Reports about the fate of former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad remain conflicting following the recent U.S.–Israeli assault on Iran, an operation carried out by the United States under President Trump.
According to early reports, the strikes killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, almost immediately. However, the situation surrounding Ahmadinejad—one of the most recognizable Iranian political figures to many in the West—remains uncertain.
The Jerusalem Post and the UK’s Telegraph cited a report from a pro-government Iranian outlet, the Iranian Labor News Agency, which claimed Ahmadinejad was killed during a strike on his residence in northeastern Tehran on Saturday.
But a different account soon emerged. The Turkish news agency Anadolu quoted a person described as close to Ahmadinejad who disputed the report. The aide reportedly said he had been in contact with Ahmadinejad and that he was unharmed.
“I am in touch with him. All is good,” the aide said, according to the report. The same source added that the strike killed three of Ahmadinejad’s bodyguards but did not injure the former president.
Another international outlet, Sputnik, cited Ahmadinejad’s press secretary as saying he is “healthy and safe.”
So far, Iran’s government has not released an official statement clarifying Ahmadinejad’s status. Neither Israel nor the United States has publicly addressed the conflicting reports.
Ahmadinejad served as Iran’s president from 2005 to 2013 and has since remained active in Iranian politics, including holding advisory roles within the government.
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