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[[Image:Bgnfy6n.jpg|right|thumb|Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]]

[[Image:Bgnfy6n.jpg|right|thumb|Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]]

'''Mahmoud Ahmadinejad''' is the current president of the [[Iran|Islamic Republic of Iran]], and the former mayor of [[Tehran]]. Since coming to power, on a campaign based on stamping out corruption, in 2005, he has pursued an agenda defined by support of [[Islamic]] fundamentalism, strong anti-Americanism, and anti-Zionism. Under Ahmadinejad's rule Iran has put a large amount of effort into [[Nuclear program of Iran|producing nuclear technology]], possibly for nuclear weapons, although Iran has not yet been successful in this endeavor. His politics are mixed as best, as he retains a strong, conservative view towards homosexuality, infamously stating that there are no homosexuals in Iran.

'''Mahmoud Ahmadinejad''' is the current president of the [[Iran|Islamic Republic of Iran]], and the former mayor of [[Tehran]]. Since coming to power, on a campaign based on stamping out corruption, in 2005, he has pursued an agenda defined by support of [[Islamic]] fundamentalism, strong anti-Americanism, and anti-Zionism. Under Ahmadinejad's rule Iran has put a large amount of effort into [[Nuclear program of Iran|producing nuclear technology]], possibly for nuclear weapons, although Iran has not yet been successful in this endeavor. His politics are mixed as best, as he retains a strong, conservative view towards homosexuality, infamously stating that there are no homosexuals in Iran.

The inset photo taken 26 years prior shows a man looking very much like a younger version of today's Ahmadinejad at the time of the 1979 [[Iran Hostage Crisis]] as someone involved with the hostage taking.  Five former American hostages have stated that Ahmadinejad was one of their captors. A former US intelligence officer, said  "I recognized him right off. … I remember so much his hatred of Americans. It just emanated from every pore of his body."  <ref>*[http://www.danielpipes.org/article/4115 Ahmadinejad - Hostage Taker?], Daniel Pipes ''Kommersant'' (Moscow daily), November 13, 2006.</ref> [[BBC]] [[journalist|correspondent]] John Simpson recalled seeing Ahmadinejad on the embassy grounds. Abholhassan Bani-Sadr, a former president of Iran long living in exile, asserted that Ahmadinejad "wasn't among the decision-makers but he was among those inside the Embassy." However, some former hostages dispute this claim. <ref>http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/014049.php</ref>  Additionally, a number of terrorists who were actually involved in the hostage taking have denied Ahmedinejad's involvement. [[Image:Hostage.jpg|thumb|240px|right|The AP photo]] <ref>http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_1-7-2005_pg4_16</ref> <ref>http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0506/30/ldt.01.html</ref>  A CIA report was commissioned to determine whether or not Ahmedinejad was involved in the hostage taking, and that report determined that the evidence was at best inconclusive.  <ref>http://www.nysun.com/article/19982?page_no=2</ref> <ref>http://www.cfr.org/publication/8831/takeyh.html</ref>

 

The inset photo taken 26 years prior shows a man looking very much like a younger version of today's Ahmadinejad at the time of the 1979 [[Iran Hostage Crisis]] as someone involved with the hostage taking.  Five former American hostages have stated that Ahmadinejad was one of their captors. A former US intelligence officer, said  "I recognized him right off. … I remember so much his hatred of Americans. It just emanated from every pore of his body."  <ref>*[http://www.danielpipes.org/article/4115 Ahmadinejad - Hostage Taker?], Daniel Pipes ''Kommersant'' (Moscow daily), November 13, 2006.</ref>  However, some former hostages dispute this claim. <ref>http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/014049.php</ref>  Additionally, a number of terrorists who were actually involved in the hostage taking have denied Ahmedinejad's involvement. <ref>http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_1-7-2005_pg4_16</ref> <ref>http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0506/30/ldt.01.html</ref>  A CIA report was commissioned to determine whether or not Ahmedinejad was involved in the hostage taking, and that report determined that the evidence was at best inconclusive.  <ref>http://www.nysun.com/article/19982?page_no=2</ref> <ref>http://www.cfr.org/publication/8831/takeyh.html</ref>

Ahmadinajed's foreign policies have been criticized by many within his country and government, who think he is too extreme and will cause their country to be attacked by the [[United States]].

Ahmadinajed's foreign policies have been criticized by many within his country and government, who think he is too extreme and will cause their country to be attacked by the [[United States]].