Ali Motahari, a member of the Iranian parliament, has said about the possibility of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's return to the political arena and presidential elections that he "must first be tried, then introduce himself as a candidate."
Mr. Motahari attended the annual meeting of the Islamic Association of Students of the University of Science and Technology on Monday evening, May 26, and said that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad "must appear in court regarding the actions of his eight-year presidency."
The University of Science and Technology is known as Mr. Ahmadinejad's teaching place.
According to Mr. Motahari, “Given [Mr.] Ahmadinejad’s performance during his presidency, he will no longer have a voice among the people.”
Mr. Ahmadinejad traveled to Amol in mid-April of this year and gave a speech to a group of people in the city. Some media outlets and political figures have interpreted this as his preparation to run in the presidential elections.
The issue of Mr. Ahmadinejad's trial has been raised since the end of his presidency, and news of his summons was published on the government's information website in June 2013 (three months before the end of his presidency).
Mr. Ahmadinejad was supposed to appear in court after the end of his presidential term on December 25 of that year, but he did not appear in court.
According to Iranian law, cases involving presidents are sent directly to the court instead of being heard by the prosecutor's office.
Mr. Ahmadinejad served two terms as President of Iran from 2005 to 2013, and his announcement as the winner of the 2009 election sparked a wave of protests, the consequences of which are still ongoing.
Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, two presidential candidates that year who were rivals to Mr. Ahmadinejad and believed in election fraud, have been under house arrest for more than five years, along with Zahra Rahnavard, Mr. Mousavi's wife.
