The head of the Islamic Republic’s judiciary has accused twice former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of “high treason”.

Retaliating against recent Ahmadinejad’s anti-judiciary vitriolic remarks, ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani accused him of “drawing the sword” against the ruling system in Iran and delivering “fifty different lies”.

Amoli Larijani, in a speech on Sunday, December 3, insisted, “Sadly, not only foreign enemies but also a number of insiders stoke the fire of the enemy and present weird lies while stabbing the country in the back”.

According to the governments official news agency, IRNA, Amoli Larijani, without directly naming Ahmadinejad, also asserted, “A gentleman, who once was responsible for the country’s affairs, has repeated fifty different lies in a matter of minutes”.

The head of the judiciary went further, saying “Some see themselves as the savior and try to make a business [out of it]”

Defending himself, Amoli Larijani noted “Some are desperately trying to defend their companions and question the ruling system and try to ruin the head of the judiciary and damage the whole justice system”.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has recently intensified his attacks on the judiciary, particularly targeting its head.

The war of words between the two sides began when the judiciary charged Ahmadinejad’s close ally, Hamid Baghaei with financial corruption and put him behind bars. Baghaei was later released on a heavy bail.

Another close ally of Ahmadinejad, his former chief of staff, Esfandyar Rahim Mashshayee has also been summoned to court.

In his last attempts to defend them, Ahmadinejad wrote an open letter to the Supreme Leader and bitterly criticized what he described as “judiciary’s tyranny”.

Ahmadinejad accuses the judiciary of illegally and unjustifiably serving the personal and political interests of its own leaders.

The Supreme Leader, ayatollah Khamenei has yet to respond to the letter.