Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad محمود احمدی نژاد 6th President of Iran In office 3 August 2005 – 3 August 2013 Vice President Parviz Davoodi Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei Mohammad Reza Rahimi Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei Preceded by Mohammad Khatami Succeeded by Hassan Rouhani Mayor of Tehran In office 20 June 2003 – 3 August 2005 Deputy Ali Saeedlou Preceded by Mohammad-Hassan Malekmadani Succeeded by Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf Governor of Ardabil In office 1 May 1993 – 28 June 1997 Preceded by Hossein Taheri (East Azerbaijan) Succeeded by Javad Negarandeh Secretary General of the Non-Aligned Movement In office 30 August 2012 – 3 August 2013 Preceded by Mohamed Morsi Succeeded by Hassan Rouhani Personal details Born (1956-10-28) 28 October 1956 (age 58) Aradan, Iran Political party Alliance of Builders (2001–present) Other political affiliations Islamic Society of Engineers (1990–2005) Spouse(s) Azam Farahi (1981–present) Children Mehdi Alireza Fatemeh Alma mater Iran University of Science and Technology Religion Twelver Shia Islam Signature This article contains Persian text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (Persian: محمود احمدی نژاد , Mahmūd Ahmadinezhād [mæhmuːd(-e) æhmædiːnɛʒɑd] ( listen), born 28 October 1956) is an Iranian politician who was the sixth President of Iran from 2005 to 2013. He was also the main political leader of the Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran, a coalition of conservative political groups in the country. An engineer and teacher from a poor background, Ahmadinejad joined the Office for Strengthening Unity after the Iranian Revolution. Appointed a provincial governor, he was removed after the election of President Mohammad Khatami and returned to teaching. Tehran's council elected him mayor in 2003. He took a religious hard line, reversing reforms of previous moderate mayors. His 2005 presidential campaign, supported by the Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran, garnered 62% of the runoff election votes, and he became President on 3 August 2005. During his presidency, Ahmadinejad was viewed as a controversial figure within Iran, as well as internationally. He has been criticized domestically for his economic policies and alleged disregard for human rights. Internationally he is criticized for his hostility towards some countries, most notably Saudi Arabia, Israel, the United Kingdom, and the United States and other Western and Arab nations. In 2007, Ahmadinejad introduced a gas rationing plan to reduce the country's fuel consumption, and cut the interest rates that private and public banking facilities could charge. He supports Iran's nuclear program. His election to a second term in 2009 was widely disputed and caused widespread protests domestically and drew significant international criticism. During his second term, Ahmadinejad came under fire not from reformers but from traditionalists in parliament and the Revolutionary Guard, and even from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, over alleged corruption, Ahmadinejad's dismissal of Intelligence minister Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i, and his support for his controversial close adviser Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei. On 14 March 2012, Ahmadinejad became the first president of the Islamic Republic of Iran to be summoned by the Islamic Consultative Assembly (parliament) to answer questions regarding his presidency. Limited to two terms under the current Iranian constitution, Ahmadinejad supported Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei's campaign for president. On 15 June 2013, Hassan Rouhani was elected as Ahmadinejad's successor and assumed office on 3 August 2013.