Iran's Ahmadinejad escaped assassination attempt

Iran’s former president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, narrowly escaped an assassination attempt last week after his vehicle was sabotaged, according to Iran International sources familiar with the incident.

On the evening of Monday, July 15, Ahmadinejad and his entourage prepared to travel to Zanjan for the Muharram religious mourning ceremony. Following a routine procedure, his chief security officer inspected Ahmadinejad's primary vehicle, a Toyota Land Cruiser, and complained about the still-malfunctioning air conditioner, requesting Ahmadinejad to use another car.

According to Iran International sources, approximately a quarter of the way along the Karaj-Qazvin Highway, the driver of the Toyota Land Cruiser carrying Ahmadinejad's associates and bodyguards suddenly lost control of both the steering and brakes.

The out-of-control Toyota spun three times in high-speed traffic, veered left and right twice, hit the central barrier, and collided with another vehicle in Ahmadinejad's convoy. It then struck the barrier again before stopping after hitting a Peugeot car.

A passenger in the Peugeot sustained injuries and was transported to the hospital. Fortunately, the injuries were minor, and the individual was discharged after outpatient treatment.

Two days before the trip, Ahmadinejad's security team had submitted his primary vehicle, the Toyota Land Cruiser, to the relevant unit within the presidential institution for repairs due to a malfunctioning air conditioner.

According to Iran International sources, after being handed over to the presidential institution, Ahmadinejad's Toyota Land Cruiser was seized by "special security agents" and taken to an undisclosed location instead of the usual repair shop.

Sources told Iran International that the vehicle was sabotaged before being returned to Ahmadinejad's security team, with the false claim that the air conditioner had been repaired.

Security team members protecting high-ranking officials, including Ahmadinejad, are a unit within the IRGC, known as the Ansar-al-Mahdi Protection Corps. This corps is a subset of the IRGC Intelligence Protection Organization, currently led by Brigadier General Fathollah Jomeiri, who also commands the Ansar-al-Mahdi Protection Corps.

Iran International sources did not specify which organization the "special security agents" who took the car away belonged to. However, given the organizational structure, high-ranking members of one of three IRGC subdivisions—the IRGC Intelligence Organization, the IRGC Protection and Intelligence Organization, or the IRGC Vali-e-Amr Corps—have the authority to retrieve Ahmadinejad's vehicle from the presidential repair unit without coordinating with the Ansar Protection Corps and without raising security concerns, enabling them to carry out the alleged sabotage.

Ahmadinejad registered to run in this year's presidential election, but the Guardian Council, an unelected body, disqualified him. He did not support any candidates.

Reports from Iranian websites, including Ahmadinejad’s affiliated Dolat Bahar, show that he traveled to Zanjan in July, with numerous images documenting his presence during the mourning sessions. He can be seen in a white Toyota Land Cruiser, which differs from the primary vehicle involved in the accident.

According to Iran International’s sources, five days after the failed assassination attempt, Ahmadinejad's office notified the "responsible authorities" about the incident and lodged complaints regarding previous attacks.

There have been prior indications of attempts on his life.

Last year, Dolat Bahar's Telegram channel reported that Ahmadinejad’s office had sent a letter to senior military and security officials, warning of concerning activities targeting him and requesting protective measures and action against those responsible.

In 2023, Ahmad Alirezabeigi, a lawmaker from Tabriz, revealed to Didban Iran (Iran Monitor) website in Tehran that members of former President Ahmadinejad's office have persistently maintained a heightened state of vigilance concerning potential threats against him.

In March 2021, domestic media reported that Ahmadinejad, in response to a query, declared, "The threat of my assassination is genuine. They would orchestrate my death, conduct the mourning rituals, and subsequently blame others. I have documented my information and secured it in several safe locations."