Negative Reaction from Principlists to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's Registration for Presidential Elections

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's registration for the presidential elections in Iran, despite the Supreme Leader's recommendation, has sparked a wave of criticism from principlist figures and media. Among them, Mohsen Mojtahed Shabestari, Reza Akrami, and Mohammad Taghi Rahbar, three members of the Combatant Clergy Association, accused him of attempting to create 'sedition' and 'inflaming the political atmosphere of the country.' Reza Akrami, in an interview with the Law newspaper's website, called Ahmadinejad a 'liar' and 'lacking mental and moral balance,' emphasizing that his cases should be addressed by the judiciary. Akrami stated, 'The judiciary must set aside all formalities and address his case to officially determine how much of a liar he is and what disasters he has caused the country. If this issue had been addressed sooner, we wouldn't have reached a point where costs are incurred for the country and the Guardian Council. From now on, the prosecutor's office can also revisit this issue.' Previously, Mahmoud Sadeghi, a member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, revealed that the Court of Audit had issued its ruling on three cases involving Ahmadinejad, but these rulings have not been executed. Ahmadinejad's case is also open in the Tehran Criminal Court with over 20 complaints, including one from the parliament. Ahmadinejad registered for the twelfth presidential election on Wednesday, despite Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader, publicly stating last year that he did not see it as advisable for Ahmadinejad to participate in this election, as his presence would polarize the country's conditions. Mohsen Mojtahed Shabestari, a senior member of the Combatant Clergy Association and Friday Prayer Imam of Tabriz, referred to this recommendation in an interview with the Tabnak news website, stating, 'Ahmadinejad must answer today why he entered the presidential election arena contrary to what was deemed advisable regarding him. His action, namely registering for candidacy in the presidential election, has inflamed and unsettled the political atmosphere of the country.' He then warned that Ahmadinejad is on a path that 'leads nowhere, and it would be better for him to withdraw from the election as soon as possible.' Mohammad Taghi Rahbar, another member of the Combatant Clergy Association, also told the Law newspaper's website, 'I fear this action will lead to an internal rift and sedition. It would have been better if these gentlemen had exercised restraint and refrained from this, which they did not. This candidacy is not in the interest of the system and the country and contradicts the Supreme Leader's wishes. Any rational person understands that he did not have a favorable opinion regarding Ahmadinejad's candidacy.' Ahmadinejad had previously stated in response to Ayatollah Khamenei's recommendation that he would comply with it. However, when registering for the presidential election, he claimed that this recommendation was not a prohibition and would not prevent his participation. Meanwhile, Mohsen Ghoreyani, a teacher at the Qom seminary, described Ahmadinejad's action as 'rebellion against the leader's opinion.' Ghoreyani told the Islamic Republic News Agency, IRNA, 'This rebellion against the leader's opinion is very significant, and disregarding the leader's opinion, with the action Ahmadinejad took today, is a dangerous event that officials must address. This will open the door wider for uprisings and insurrections.' Nevertheless, some social media users expressed the opinion that Ahmadinejad's registration aligns with Ayatollah Khamenei's view, which called for avoiding polarization in the electoral atmosphere, and Ahmadinejad's presence would prevent polarization between Ebrahim Raisi and Hassan Rouhani. Mehdi Koochakzadeh, a former parliament member and Ahmadinejad supporter, also wrote on Instagram that Ahmadinejad's action today has shattered his belief. On the other hand, the editor of the principlist website 'Rajanews' tweeted that the former president's registration was 'one of the complex games of the British intelligence service in the 96 elections.' Rajanews was a staunch defender of Ahmadinejad during his presidency.