Former tyrant Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has signaled his intention to run in the upcoming Iranian presidential elections following the death of fellow oppressor Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash last weekend.

In Iran, presidential elections are tightly controlled by the Guardian Council, a powerful 12-member body appointed directly by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The Council vets all candidates and has the power to disqualify anyone deemed disloyal to the regime. Ahmadinejad himself has been disqualified from running in the past two presidential elections in 2017 and 2021, with reports suggesting that he had a falling out with Khamenei.

According to Iran International, Ahmadinejad hinted at his plans to run in a Saturday video address to supporters posted on the Dolat Bahar Telegram channel. In the video, he expressed confidence that the “situation is changing for the better” and that “sweet changes” are on the horizon for both Iran and the world.

During his presidency from 2005 to 2013, Ahmadinejad gained notoriety for his inflammatory antisemitic rhetoric and despotic actions. He openly denied the Holocaust, called for Israel to be wiped off the map, and accused the United States of orchestrating the 9/11 attacks to justify invading the Middle East.

His tenure was also marked by a brutal crackdown on dissent and the suppression of civil liberties. The 2009 Green Movement, which emerged in response to his disputed re-election, was met with violence and mass arrests. Activists, journalists, and political opponents were routinely imprisoned, tortured, and executed, as Ahmadinejadbsought to maintain his grip on power.