Ali Motehari, a member of Iran’s parliament, has stated regarding the possibility of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s return to the political arena and the presidential election that he “must first face trial, and then introduce himself as a candidate for the election.”
Mr. Motehari appeared Monday evening, the 6th of Ordibehesht, at the annual meeting of the Islamic Ideals Association of Students at Iran University of Science and Technology and stated that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad “should appear in court regarding the actions during his eight-year period as president.”
Iran University of Science and Technology is known as the teaching institution of Mr. Ahmadinejad.
According to Mr. Motehari’s view, “given Ahmadinejad’s performance during his presidency, he will no longer have any votes among the people.”
Mr. Ahmadinejad traveled to Amol in mid-Farvardin of this year and delivered a speech to a group of residents in the city. Some media outlets and political figures interpreted this action as an indication of his readiness to run in the presidential election.
The issue of Mr. Ahmadinejad’s trial was raised in the late period of his presidency, and news of his summons in Khordad 1392 (three months before the end of his presidency) was published on the government’s news agency.
Mr. Ahmadinejad was supposed to appear in court after the end of his presidency on the 5th of Azar of that year, but he did not appear in court.
According to Iran’s laws, cases related to presidents are sent directly to court instead of being reviewed at the prosecutor’s office.
Mr. Ahmadinejad served as president of Iran for two terms from 1384 to 1392, and the announcement of his name as the winner of the 1388 election sparked a wave of protests whose consequences continue to this day.
Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, two presidential candidates of that year who were rivals of Mr. Ahmadinejad and believed the election was rigged, along with Zahra Rahnavard, Mr. Mousavi’s wife, have been under house arrest for more than 5 years now.
