Reports from Iranian state media indicate that the former president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has died as a result of airstrikes conducted by the US and Israel.
Ahmadinejad, aged 69, held the presidency from 2005 until 2013 and was known as one of Israel’s most vocal opponents during his tenure. He consistently rejected the reality of the Holocaust and asserted that Israel would soon no longer exist.
State media reported that Ahmadinejad “was killed alongside his bodyguards in a missile strike carried out by the Zionist regime and the United States” after his residence was targeted.
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Throughout his time in office, Ahmadinejad promoted Iran’s nuclear initiatives and took a defiant approach towards Western nations. His controversial re-election in 2009 led to widespread protests, as critics accused him of electoral fraud. Subsequently, he encountered increasing power struggles with conservative elements within Iran’s political framework before his departure from office in 2013.
Ahmadinejad is the second highest-ranking individual in the Iranian leadership reported to have been killed in the US-Israeli operations, following an airstrike targeting the residence of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during the early hours of Saturday.
Former President of the United States, Donald Trump, cautioned that the nation would unleash “an unprecedented force” if Iran seeks vengeance following the demise of its Supreme Leader.
“Iran has just announced that they plan to strike back with unprecedented force today, more intense than any previous response,” Mr. Trump posted on his social media site, Truth Social.
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Reports of explosions have emerged from various Gulf states following Iran’s declaration of its “most aggressive operation” in retaliation for the assassination of Ayatollah Khamenei, who had been in power since 1989.
Sir Keir Starmer conveyed his “support” for various leaders in the Middle East “amidst the perilous escalation from Iran” following the coordinated strikes by the US and Israel.
Downing Street announced that the Prime Minister had a conversation on Sunday with the King of Jordan, the King of Bahrain, and the Crown Prince of Kuwait as military operations persisted throughout the region.