Ahmadinejad's Statement in Response to Allegations Regarding the Seizure of Two Billion Dollars of Iran's Assets

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the former president of Iran, responded to allegations from officials of Hassan Rouhani's government regarding the purchase of bonds in the U.S. and the subsequent seizure of two billion dollars of Iran's assets in a statement. According to Fars News Agency, in this statement published on Wednesday, April 8, Ahmadinejad attributed the seizure of the two billion dollars to the weakness of Rouhani's government on the international stage and the audacity of American officials. Ahmadinejad claimed in his statement, addressed to the people of Iran, that during his presidency, a 'scholarly and dignified' approach had prevented anyone from daring to infringe upon Iran's assets. However, since the end of his presidency, officials and analysts have repeatedly held his government responsible for the loss of at least 750 billion dollars in oil revenue during his eight years in office. In his recent statement, Ahmadinejad noted that in the past three years, any weakness or failure in managing current affairs in Iran has been attributed to his government, making this a routine occurrence. He also pointed out the contradiction of Iranian officials claiming that American managers are untrustworthy while making economic promises to the Iranian people based solely on verbal assurances from U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. Ahmadinejad further referenced the simultaneous presence of Mohammad Javad Zarif in the U.S. and his private meetings there alongside the seizure of Iran's assets by the U.S. Supreme Court, questioning whether all of this is part of a continued scenario to humiliate the Iranian government and people. Ultimately, Ahmadinejad urged Rouhani's government to stop making unreasonable accusations against others, accept its responsibility for current affairs, and correct the ongoing situation. In recent days, following the news of the seizure of two billion dollars of Iran's assets at Citibank, individuals affiliated with Rouhani's government have blamed the previous administration, with Akbar Turkan, a senior advisor to Rouhani, even calling for the prosecution of officials from Ahmadinejad's government by the judiciary and the Islamic Consultative Assembly. Turkan's argument was that while a commission on the JCPOA is formed in Rouhani's government and the parliament constantly forces the government to be accountable, during Ahmadinejad's presidency, activities such as purchasing bonds and investing in a 'hostile country' faced silence from the parliament. Apart from Turkan's explicit criticisms, Mohammad Javad Zarif also referred to the shortcomings of the previous government, emphasizing that the U.S. action is illegal and constitutes a seizure of Iran's assets, attributing it to the purchase of bonds by Ahmadinejad's government and the failure to remove these assets after sanctions. Officials such as Abbas Araghchi, the Director General for Political and International Affairs at the Foreign Ministry, and Ali Motahari, a member of parliament and a staunch critic of Ahmadinejad, have also pointed to the shortcomings of the previous government. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on April 1 to seize two billion dollars of Iran's frozen assets, which will be paid to the families of American victims of the 1983 bombings in Beirut and other attacks that the U.S. claims are linked to Iran. Zarif stated that Iran does not recognize the Supreme Court's ruling and will claim damages. The Central Bank also described the ruling as a clear violation.