Chinaโs leading newspaper Global Times has claimed that former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is alive and safe. The report came after several media outlets said on Sunday that Ahmadinejad had been killed in US-Israel airstrikes on Iran. However, Global Times quoted Turkeyโs Anadolu Agency, which cited one of Ahmadinejadโs close associates. The associate said, โI am in contact with him. Everything is fine.โ
Earlier reports claimed he was killedย
Earlier, Israeli outlet Maโariv reported that the 69-year-old former president was killed in a targeted strike on his residence. According to those reports, he was under house arrest at the time of the attack. There has been no official confirmation from Iranian authorities about his condition so far.
Who is Mahmoud Ahmadinejad?
Ahmadinejad served as Iranโs president from 2005 to 2013. He first came into power after defeating former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani in the 2005 election. His 2009 re-election led to large protests across Iran, known as the Green Movement. His presidency was often marked by strong anti-West statements and tensions with global powers.
Authorities confirmed that three US service members were killed and five others seriously wounded during operations against Iran. US President Donald Trump earlier said that Iranโs Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed on the first day of the strikes. Iran later confirmed his death and announced 40 days of national mourning.