Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran's ex-prez killed in US strikes, once said ‘bad actor' Trump is causing America's decline

Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was reportedly killed in Israeli airstrikes on Saturday

Published on: Mar 1, 2026, 22:41:00 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was killed in Israeli airstrikes on Saturday, as per a report by Israeli outlet Ma’ariv. The 69-year-old was reportedly under house arrest at the time and died in a targeted strike on his residence. There has been no immediate confirmation of his fate from Iranian authorities.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad receives a certificate declaring him as president (REUTERS)

Ahmadinejad served as Iran's sixth president from 2005 to 2013, rising from mayor of Tehran to defeat establishment figure Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani in a surprise 2005 runoff victory. His disputed 2009 reelection sparked the mass “Green Movement” protests.

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What did Mahmoud Ahmadinejad say about Israel and President Trump?

Ahmadinejad had a sharp rhetoric toward Israel and also made objectionable comments about the Holocaust. In a 2005 speech titled “A World Without Zionism,” he quoted Iran's founding leader, Ruhollah Khomeini, referring to Israel as “the occupying regime of Jerusalem” and a “disgraceful cancerous growth” that “must be wiped off the map.”

In 2007, speaking at Columbia University in New York, Ahmadinejad declared that there were no homosexuals in Iran.

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Ahmadinejad also tweeted about Trump in the past. “Despite the widespread propaganda by US media, Mr. Trump is a poor actor. The plots for warmongering have now been revealed.#trump#syriawar,” his post from 2017 read.

“The actions of #Trump will only shorten the life of the declining American Empire,” he further added on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.

US fatalities in Iran operation

Meanwhile, authorities confirmed that three service members were killed and five “seriously wounded” during operations against the Islamic Republic. None of the soldiers were identified.

President Donald Trump said in an earlier social media post that Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had been killed on the first day of strikes launched by Washington and regional ally Israel. Tehran confirmed the news hours later, saying the government will observe 40 days of national mourning for the 86-year-old ruler, who was killed in his office compound.

(With Bloomberg inputs)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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