Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the controversial former President of Iran, narrowly escaped an assassination attempt last week, according to reports from Iran International, a London-based Iranian exile media outlet.
On July 15, as Ahmadinejad prepared to attend a religious ceremony in Zanjan, unknown assailants reportedly sabotaged his car. The plot was foiled when an alert security guard, during a routine check, noticed issues with the vehicle's air conditioning system. This discovery prompted a last-minute change of cars for the 67-year-old former president.
The sabotaged vehicle, now carrying Ahmadinejad's associates and bodyguards, joined the convoy. En route to the ceremony, the driver suddenly lost control of both steering and brakes, resulting in a collision with a roadside barrier. Fortunately, the occupants escaped with only minor injuries.
Ahmadinejad, who held Iran's presidency from 2005 to 2013, is no stranger to controversy. His tenure was marked by inflammatory anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli rhetoric, drawing international condemnation and heightening tensions in the region.
As news of this assassination attempt spreads, several questions remain unanswered:
- Who was behind this brazen attack?
- Was this an internal power struggle or an external threat?
- How will this incident impact Iran's already complex political landscape?
Iranian authorities have yet to comment on the incident.
* Kann 11 News contributed to this article.