Ahmadinejad Allies and Critics Clash on Social Media Over Controversial Posts

Following a state TV reporter's online criticism of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a disclosure by a lawyer close to the former president sparked a flurry of reactions on social media.

The lawyer's revelation was in response to a post by Ameneh Sadat Zabihpour on the X social network, which garnered widespread attention. 

Amid the aftermath of Raisi's death in a helicopter crash, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's decision to wear a white shirt to the Assembly of Experts' meeting drew criticism from certain government factions.

Zabihpour, a prominent figure in government media known as the "interrogator-reporter" for interviewing protesters, expressed her disdain on her X account by sharing a photo of Ahmadinejad at the meeting and writing, "As someone who reported on your programs for eight years, I hate you."

In a subsequent development, Ali Hosseini, a lawyer close to Ahmadinejad, issued a response to Zabihpour's tweet. 

He hinted at a past incident involving a certain reporter at the Warwick Hotel in New York, writing, "Hope that morning in Warwick Hotel in New York, he did not warn the bodyguards that it was none of our business if a certain reporter went to the room of a certain photographer and was there till morning." 

This reference led to speculation and stirred controversy online.

Following Hosseini's response, Zabihpour deleted her post, prompting Hosseini to also remove his post from X. 

However, the repercussions of their exchange continued to reverberate across social media platforms.

Although Hosseini's statement did not specify the photographer, Rouzbeh Jadidoleslam, a news photographer who accompanied Iran's official delegations, reacted strongly. 

Initially, he published and later deleted articles addressing the issue on X, denouncing Hosseini as a "fraudster and impostor" and challenging his alleged involvement in official trips.

Some users highlighted Zabihpour's previous friendship with the impostor, emphasizing their unusual form of address and defending her on the X social network. 

This revelation sparked further debate and scrutiny across social media platforms.

Journalist Sasan Aghaei seized upon the controversy, condemning those who had previously engaged in "dishonourable behaviour against Iran's esteemed figures," suggesting that their past actions were now catching up with them.

Activist Hamid Faizabadi further escalated tensions with a video message characterized by insulting language and sexist remarks, hinting at future disclosures.