Iran Suffers Another Blow As Israeli Airstrike Kills Former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Tehran: Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been killed in Israeli airstrikes. Several of Ahmadinejad's close advisors and bodyguards were reportedly also killed in the attack. According to local media reports, the bodyguards deployed for Ahmadinejad's security were soldiers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

How was Mahmoud Ahmadinejad killed?

The airstrike on Saturday targeted a building where Ahmadinejad was present with his team. The building is said to be located in the Narmak area northeastern of Tehran, the capital of Iran, and also houses the former President's residence. Videos have also gone viral on social media showing the extensive destruction following the attack on Ahmadinejad's residence. Reports also claim that two schoolchildren were killed in the airstrikes.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was born on October 28, 1956, in the village of Ardan, near Garmsar in Semnan province. He was a prominent Iranian politician and served as the country's sixth president from 2005 to 2013. Ahmadinejad became a symbol of strengthening Iran's nuclear program.

His most internationally known statement was "Israel must be wiped off the map," which he made in 2005. During his tenure, Western sanctions on Iran, particularly the United States and Israel, significantly increased. Ahmadinejad was very popular among the poor and ordinary people in Iran because of his simplicity of living and his outspoken opposition to corruption. Amid continued Israeli attacks on Iran, President of the Islamic Republic Masoud Pezeshkian has stated that his country will continue to retaliate strongly. Addressing the nation, Pezeshkian said that Iran will destroy US and Israeli military bases in the region.

How did Mahmoud Ahmadinejad react on killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei?

He described the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Israeli airstrikes as martyrdom. So far, Iran has targeted US bases in Kuwait, Qatar, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. Iran has also carried out attacks in the United Arab Emirates, including the capital Abu Dhabi and the financial hub of Dubai. Three people were reportedly killed and 58 injured in the attacks in the UAE.

Countries in the Gulf region have criticized Iran's actions, urging restraint and asserting that Iran's neighbors are not its enemies. Iran, meanwhile, maintains that it wants peace and is only targeting US bases in the Middle East. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have warned Iran not to escalate the situation.