Ahmadinejad to Security Forces: If You Want a Fight, We Are Here

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the former president of Iran, addressed the security and judicial forces of the Islamic Republic, stating that their aim in arresting Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, a senior official from his presidency, is to 'hit' him. He added that if they want to 'fight', he is ready. A video of Ahmadinejad's remarks, made on the occasion of Mashaei's birthday in front of his supporters, was published on Sunday, November 18, on the Telegram channel 'Dolat Bahar'. Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, Ahmadinejad's chief of staff during his presidency, has been sentenced to five years in prison for 'conspiracy to commit a crime against security', one year for 'propaganda against the regime', and six months for 'insulting judicial officials'. Ahmadinejad has increasingly criticized the structure of the Islamic Republic as pressures mount on Mashaei and Hamid Baghaei, another official from his presidency, and he regularly expresses strong protest statements in his speeches. In this speech, referring to Mashaei's arrest, he said: 'They explicitly declare that they want to hit Ahmadinejad. Of course, I am nobody, but be a man and have a bit of chivalry. Being a man is a good thing... If you have a fight with me, very well, I am at your service. If you want to fight, then we are here.' The former president did not mention a specific individual but stated that 'it was not supposed to be this way', expressing pity for those in the security and judicial institutions who arrested Mashaei, saying, 'How unfortunate and right you are. How much you have fallen... They think that if they increase pressure on us, they will save themselves. This is also one of their historical mistakes.' He described these individuals as 'small and defective minds' who 'sit together and plot', and added: 'Have you won until now that you want to continue? We feel sorry for you, stop... We do not have a power struggle with you, we do not want it at all.' He referred to those who claim to have a 'fight' with him but have arrested Mashaei instead as 'ungrateful', adding that 'all these cultural, economic, and social problems can only be solved under the divine, Mahdavi, and Bahari thought that Mr. Engineer (Mashaei) is currently the flagbearer of.' Ahmadinejad criticized the 'cutting off of Mashaei's phone communication' in prison over the past 10 days and the prevention of his family's visits, comparing what is happening to him with 'Ashura' and criticizing security and judicial officials for thinking 'no one in this country understands anything.' According to Ahmadinejad, 'the opponents have nothing to say, what do they have? Except for cursing, arresting, silencing, and crushing. And from that chair they protect so hard. Very well, protect it.' The former president explicitly stated that some 'hide behind security institutions and power institutions', which he claims 'are the result of the blood of martyrs' and 'hide behind the sanctity that belongs to God and the Prophet' and 'speak forcefully.' He addressed these individuals, saying that they 'put people in prison. The podiums are also in your hands, you say whatever you want... Then they say we managed, we controlled. We controlled Ahmadinejad. Then they say it is not political.' The former president has repeatedly criticized the Larijani brothers in open letters, specifically naming Sadegh Larijani, the head of the judiciary, as someone who has deviated from 'justice' and, according to him, should step down from his position. Ahmadinejad's recent remarks about the conditions of prisons and courts in the Islamic Republic come at a time when during his presidency, the suppression of protesters was accompanied by imprisonment and even death in prison. Some of Ahmadinejad's critics question why he remained silent during his presidency in the face of the judiciary's actions and the suppression of the 2009 protests. However, he has told a group of students that 'we did not know some issues. We really did not know and later found out.'