Immediately after Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s acerbic speech against the Islamic Republic’s judiciary this week, the Telegram channels close to the former president reported that his official website, as well as his movement’s website, Dolatebahar (the Government of Spring) have been shut down.
In his most bitter speech against Larijani brothers, Ahmadinejad directly addressed the judiciary, warning “You are either not Iranian or do not know Iran”.
Three Larijani brothers, all born in Iraq to an Iranian ayatollah, occupy key positions in Iran. Ali Larijani is the Speaker of Parliament, Sadegh Amoli Larijani is Chief-justice and the eldest brother, Javad Larijani is the Secretary of High Council for Human Rights under the supervision of his younger brother, the chief-justice.
Two other brothers, Fazel and Bagher have also held high positions in the Islamic republic’s ruling system.
Former president Ahmadinejad in his speech accused top judiciary officials of conspiracy against himself and his close ally, insisting that they are attempting to convict his deputy, Hamid Baghaei for political reasons.
However, he warned, “Over my dead body you may convict Baghaei”.
Hamid Baghaei, Ahmadinejad’s deputy in executive matters during his second term of presidency, disregarded a court summon on Wednesday, November 15, and, along with two other Ahmadinejad aides took refuge in the Shi’a sanctuary of Shah Abdul Azim in Shahr-e Rey, south of Tehran.
Soon, on the same day, Ahmadinejad joined them and delivered a vitriolic speech, maintaining that the politically motivated judiciary had arrested Baghaei for conspiring against him and his close allies, “Yet, Baghaei resisted under pressure and aborted the plot”.
Earlier, Baghaei had asserted that his interrogators pressed him to speak against Ahmadinejad and his close allies.
Based on video clips circulated in social media, Ahmadinejad lambasted the judiciary and accused it conspiring to convict Baghaei “without any evidence”.
Ahmadinejad, renowned for not mincing his words, reiterated, “We are against Larijani brothers. Is it a crime to be against somebody? We cannot let these [brothers] dominate the country and place people under pressure to the point that they submit to foreigners”.
The former twice president had earlier asserted that filing legal cases against himself and his allies are designed to lay the groundwork for boosting Ali Larijani’s position as a candidate in the next presidential election.
Meanwhile, Baghaei has also maintained that he had been under pressure by his interrogators to admit that Ahmadinejad is in fact a spy.
Responding to the pressure on his former deputy, Ahmadinejad addressed the top judiciary officials, deriding, “[I am not a spy, you and] your father are spies.”
Baghaei was first arrested for embezzlement in 2015 but, according to Ahmadinejad close allies, he was later freed by the Supreme Leader, ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s special order.
Once again, last July, Baghaei was detained but later released on a huge bail.
Currently, another close ally of Ahmadinejad, Esfandyar Rahim Mashshayee has also been summoned to court for “insulting the Supreme Leader”, “offending the ruling system’s officials” and spreading false information.