Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad narrowly escaped an assassination attempt after his vehicle was sabotaged, according to a report in Iranian media Wednesday.
The plot was said to involve tampering with Ahmadinejad’s car, which his security team discovered just in time to prevent a potentially fatal outcome.
On the evening of Monday, July 15, while traveling to Zanjan for the Muharram religious mourning ceremony, the ex-president’s chief security officer noticed that the air conditioner in his primary vehicle, a Toyota Land Cruiser, was malfunctioning, the London-based Iran International TV network reported. He then advised the former president to switch to another car.
While in transit, the SUV spun out of control, collided with another vehicle in the convoy, and eventually stopped after hitting another car.
The incident was reported to the authorities five days later.
Ahmadinejad’s chief security officer discovered the ongoing A/C issue and requested that Ahmadinejad use a different vehicle, per the report. The Land Cruiser was instead used to transport Ahmadinejad’s associates and bodyguards when it spun out.
Two days before the trip, his security team reportedly sent the Land Cruiser for repairs due to the broken A/C.
However, upon return, the car was seized by “special security agents” and taken to an undisclosed location instead of the usual repair shop, according to the report. Sources told Iran International the vehicle was sabotaged before being returned to Ahmadinejad’s security team with the false assurance that the air conditioner had been fixed.
Iran International sources did not specify which organization the “special security agents” who took the car away belonged to.
Earlier this year, Ahmadinejad had registered to run in the presidential election after then-President Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash, but he was disqualified. Ahmadinejad did not endorse any candidates.
Last year, his office had warned senior military and security officials about suspicious activities targeting the former president. Ahmadinejad has previously spoken about threats to his life, saying in March 2021 that his assassination could be orchestrated and blamed on others.
Serving as president of Iran from 2005 to 2013, Ahmadinejad was known for his hardline stances and provocative statements, particularly regarding Israel and Iran’s nuclear program.
His tenure was marked by provocations and confrontations with the West. His denial of the Holocaust and repeated calls for the destruction of Israel heightened tensions in the Middle East.
Domestically, his administration faced considerable opposition due to economic policies that led to high inflation and unemployment, along with accusations of corruption and mismanagement.
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