Ex-leader of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards says will challenge Ahmadinejad for presidency

September 22nd, 2009 Bill Clinton says US must approach Iran carefullyWASHINGTON — Former President Bill Clinton says Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is "lashing out at the world" right now and that it's important for U.S. leaders to figure out why.

August 6th, 2009 EU shuns Ahmadinejad re-electionBRUSSELS — The European Union will not send a traditional not of congratulations to Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on being sworn in to a second presidential term. EU spokesman Amadeu Altafaj Tardio says the EU "has not sent a congratulatory message and does not intend to do so." He gave no further comment Thursday.

August 6th, 2009 EU won't send congratulations note to AhmadinejadBRUSSELS — The European Union will not send a traditional note of congratulations to Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on being sworn in to a second presidential term. EU spokesman Amadeu Altafaj Tardio says the EU "has not sent a congratulatory message and does not intend to do so." He gave no further comment Thursday.

August 3rd, 2009 Iran's Ahmadinejad endorsed for 2nd termTEHRAN, Iran — Iran's supreme leader has formally endorse Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for second term as president in a step leading up to his inauguration in parliament. State television broadcast images of the ceremony Monday with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei giving the president his seal of approval.

August 3rd, 2009 TEHRAN - Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has endorsed President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for his second term in office, amid protests by opposition parties over alleged irregularities in the June 12 presidential elections, a media report said Monday. Ahmadinejad won the election with almost two-thirds of the vote, Iran's election commission said.

August 3rd, 2009 Iran's Ahmadinejad to be endorsed for 2nd termTEHRAN, Iran — Iran's Supreme Leader is to formally endorse Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as president, a step leading up to his inauguration in parliament. But the country's opposition and moderates — including former president Hashemi Rafsanjani — say they'll boycott Monday's ceremony in defiance of an election they decry as fraudulent.

July 22nd, 2009 TEHRAN - Iran's parliament has increased pressure on President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over his controversial appointment of his first vice president, Fars news agency reported Wednesday. The parliament wants Ahmadinejad to sack his new appointment, Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei, and Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reportedly ordered the president to do so.

June 17th, 2009 Key players in Iran's disputed electionKey players in Iran's disputed presidential election: SUPREME LEADER AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI: Wields control over every major decision either directly or through network of hand-picked loyalists and institutions, including the powerful Revolutionary Guards, the judiciary and intelligence services. Khamenei, 70, succeeded the father of Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, after his death in 1989.

June 17th, 2009 TEHRAN - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Wednesday that the results of the presidential election were an approval of the government's performance, Fars news agency reported. "The election was a de facto referendum by 40 million people for the Islamic system in Iran," Ahmadinejad said in a cabinet session.

June 12th, 2009 Iran's President Ahmadinejad leads electionTEHRAN, Iran — Iran's Interior Ministry has released partial results showing President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad leading with nearly 70 percent of votes counted so far in Friday's election. Senior ministry official Kamran Daneshjoo says Ahmadinejad had 68.8 percent of the more than 10 million ballots counted so far.

June 6th, 2009 Iran's ex-president to sue Ahmadinejad for slanderTEHRAN, Iran — A powerful former president said Saturday he will sue hard-line leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for slander over remarks he made during an election debate. In the latest obstacle to his campaign for re-election, Ahmadinejad has found himself in a bitter confrontation with Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and another former president, reformist Mohammad Khatami, neither of whom are candidates in Friday's vote.

June 5th, 2009 Ex-nuke negotiator calls Ahmadinejad a 'demagogue'TEHRAN, Iran — Iran's former nuclear negotiator accused hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of distorting facts about the country's nuclear past to make himself look like a hero and win votes in next week's election. Hasan Rowhani, who negotiated a 2003 deal with Europe to suspend Iran's controversial uranium enrichment program, also called Ahmadinejad a "demagogue" for claiming his administration was behind all of Iran's nuclear success.

June 1st, 2009 TEHRAN - With unconditional support being offered to him, Iran's presidential candidate Mahmoud Ahmadinejad seems to be heading towards his second consecutive term. With the campaign in full swing before the June 12 elections, the self-proclaimed man of the people and a politician with the interest of the poor at heart, the working class and the poor are viewing Ahmadinejad as a national hero.

May 29th, 2009 TEHRAN - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Friday reiterated that Tehran was ready to negotiate with the US but stressed that the talks should be held under "equal conditions". The Americans keep sending us messages for negotiation.

March 17th, 2009 TEHRAN - Iran's former president Mohammad Khatami has withdrawn from the country's presidential election, Iranian media reports said Monday. According to Mehr news agency, the reformist leader has endorsed former Iranian prime minister Mir-Hossein Moussavi to run for the presidency elections to which are to be held in June.