Persian Independent’s Exclusive Interview with Ahmadinejad: With Less Than 40% Turnout the Election is Turned Into a Referendum Against Iran

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad talks to Camelia Entekhabifard: Those responsible for the present situation should be held to account. They should abandon their superior attitude and answer the people.

Persian Independent’s Exclusive Interview with Ahmadinejad: With Less Than 40% Turnout the Election is Turned Into a Referendum Against Iran
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Persian Independent’s Exclusive Interview with Ahmadinejad: With Less Than 40% Turnout the Election is Turned Into a Referendum Against Iran

Persian Independent’s Exclusive Interview with Ahmadinejad: With Less Than 40% Turnout the Election is Turned Into a Referendum Against Iran

In an exclusive interview with Independent Persian, former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad whose candidacy was rejected by Iran’s Guardian Council, said that the presidential election is symbol of the nation’s will. It is not about dropping a piece of paper in a box and leave.

He said: “There are times that we have a legal obligation, and times when we really wish to make positive and progressive things happen on the ground. For the country to progress and develop, people need to express their will freely.

He added: “Free will would transform everything. No obstacle can withstand the collective will of a nation. Elections are the vehicle of this will which should continue to perpetuate.”

He added: “We hoped and still hope that there will be a day when both in Iran and in the world at large a common decisive will would permeate the governance of countries so we would see a better situation from what we witness today.”

He referred to his recent tweet comparing the June 18, 2021 election to a popular referendum and the need for a new referendum to decide the structure of governance in Iran.

He said: “I do not routinely expect elections to turn into referendums, but authorities themselves called it a referendum and asked people to participate in the election under the banner that each vote would be a renewal of covenant with the Islamic Republic. It was, therefore, they themselves who turned the election into a referendum.”

He added: “Almost 100% of Iranians took part in the first referendum, and 98.9% of the votes were positive (endorsing the Islamic Republic). Now it (public participation) is reduced to 48%. If you count void ballots – as some do – this percentage goes down to less than 40%.

“The people are the same people. The Iranian nation has, over the course of history, stayed true to itself and safe-guarded their culture and values. These are the same people who in defense of their country against the enemy in 1978,79 and 80, sent their children over mines and did not lose a meter of their land.

“I think, those who are the cause of this situation should be held to account. They should put aside their superior attitude and answer the people. The first step would be to reflect and see what they have done to have made this great and ancient nation to withdraw and to look at them from the margent. I hope for this to happen.”

In reply to the chief editor of the Independent Persian who asked him if he had been persecuted for his critical stance against the governance, Ahmadinejad said: “I think if you enter into the realm of reform, you must be ready to face the consequences. We have been under increasing pressure over these years. My best friends were under pressure. At this moment a considerable number of my colleagues are facing heavy sentences that may be implemented at any moment.”

He added: “The heaviest propaganda in the history of Iranian politics have been aimed against us. We planned a visit to “Orumieh” (capital city of the north-eastern province of Rezaiieh) at the invitation of their citizens. A curfew was announced, so many individuals were abducted during the night and so many were threatened. We are under such pressure on a daily basis, but as I said, if we want reform to happen, we should overcome these (obstacles) come what may.

“As I said in my last week’s interview, best to give my life to the revolution and its values, to the “Imam Mahdi” (last Shiite Imam said to be in occultation), social reforms and serving the great Iranian nation.”

Referring to his meeting with General Nejat (A commander of the Revolutionary Guard Corps) prior to the rejection of his candidacy, Ahmadinejad said: “I have already talked about it extensively. The essence of his views was that ‘don’t do anything to put us in a position where we have to counter revolutionary and Hezbollahi forces.”

Ahmadinejad stressed that the reason behind the rejection of his candidacy is clear, but that the Guardian Council had not yet offered any explanations.

As for the unity of Iranian governance, he said: “We had been in this situation before where all three arms of the government (Executive, Judiciary and Legislative) were from the same political faction, but no positive results came out of it.

“Success is in having a clear manifesto, strong management, observing requirements of a logical and wise governance and the support of all the people, otherwise factions themselves have thousands of problems and rivalries among themselves.

He said that as an observer over the past forty years, he can testify that none of the political factions has offered a cohesive and effective manifesto for the management of the country.

On his plans for reforms in the country’s governance, he said: “I have categorized current problems into three levels: Ideals (goals), (governing) structures and conducts.

“At the level of ideals, I believe that the ideals of the revolution have been lost. I mean we do not know where we want to go. It seems as if governance that was the means to each ideal has been transformed into goals. We have got to reassess these ideals and reach a national consensus over them. Structures are to realize those ideals. The most important ideal is national sovereignty and the revival of the right to self-determination, freedom and justice.

“Every structure should have its own specifications. What I said goes beyond the two (Constitutional) powers and includes the backbone of the system of decision-making in the country. There should be a balance of authority and responsibility, a certain procedure at all levels and that they should be brief and transparent. This does not exist at the moment. While the country needs a national and comprehensive view of issues, the parliament’s attitude is local and the government’s attitude is regional. The extent of authority should match the level of responsibility.

“On the third category, where we head towards freedom, justice, dignity and progress, naturally attitudes should match ideals. They should be capable of delivering and above all, authorities should be the products of the will of the people.

“Governments have no function but execute the will of the people, but unfortunately in the world and particularly in Iran, structures (governance) have legitimized themselves against the will of people. These reforms are not limited to one or two constitutional arms but it should happen.

“If management, ideals and the appointment of people are not done properly, there will be no progress and nothing will be done.”

Ahmadinejad pointed out to the political, economic and social prospect of Iranians in the coming four years.

He said: “The nation is unified. There is no polarity among them apart from who they vote for. But there is considerable polarity among powerful factions and politicians. The future is bright. I can see that the nation has decided to move forward to the zenith of ideals, but this requires passing a certain path, and I believe they are doing it intelligently.

“Iran is the land of talents, culture, endless wealth and history. After all, we have been a nation for 7,000 years. We have seen hundreds of ups and downs, experienced situations much, much more difficult and complicated than this, but have witnessed that the nation has sailed through them with its unity and belief in historical values.

“I believe today Iranians are moving fast the sign of which is their level of awareness. You can see that the speed and level of solidarity and awareness is unmatched. All this tell us that positive events will happen to the benefit of the nation and their will and the situation will change completely.”

Pointing out to Ebrahim Raisi’s approach towards the countries of the region, Ahmadinejad said: “Two points should be considered. Iranians do not fit into the political categories of reformist or conservative. The Iranian nation is extremely reformist and equally adhere to its historical beliefs. It is for these reasons that the Iranian culture has created a continuous trend in the world.

“There is no alternative but friendship and brotherhood among countries and nations of the region. We should all respect each other’s integrity, avoid interfering in one another’s affairs and avoid attempting dominance in the region. Saddam (Hussein) did it once and we witnessed the consequence of it.”

Ahmadinejad said that his relations with some neighboring countries have faced certain limitations but he really likes them. He said: “I did not expect (them) to immediately reply to my messages although I hoped they would. I am certain that we all want peace in the region, but it requires collective co-operation and help.”



Hevolution CEO Discusses Career in Innovation, Medicine, and Business

Dr. Mehmood Khan, CEO of the Hevolution Foundation
Dr. Mehmood Khan, CEO of the Hevolution Foundation
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Hevolution CEO Discusses Career in Innovation, Medicine, and Business

Dr. Mehmood Khan, CEO of the Hevolution Foundation
Dr. Mehmood Khan, CEO of the Hevolution Foundation

Dr. Mehmood Khan, CEO of the Hevolution Foundation, the largest philanthropy organization funding aging medicine in the world, expressed that receiving Saudi citizenship will boost his scientific and practical capabilities.
He said this new status will help him advance his research, especially in addressing aging.
This comes as part of a recent royal decree granting Saudi citizenship to several notable scholars, doctors, researchers, and innovators.
“Our Chairman, his Royal Highness (Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman), has very high expectations of our work and the impact we need to do; We were created in part because of his vision,” Khan told Asharq Al-Awsat.
“Living up to the expectations and challenges we get faced with is itself exciting, but it is challenging,” revealed Khan, affirming that Hevolution’s team is “up to that task.”
Khan, who has experience in both corporate and medical fields, told Asharq Al-Awsat that his work across academic, public, and private sectors has been a continuous learning process, with each area enhancing the others.
According to the CEO, these industries are interconnected, and combining their strengths often leads to the best solutions.
This insight inspired the Hevolution initiative, which brings together the scientific community, NGOs, pharmaceutical companies, policymakers, academia, biotech firms, CEOs, and others to promote healthy aging.
Khan highlighted the value of integrating insights from different sectors.
Academia provides detailed research, the public sector offers insights on population health and regulations, and the corporate world brings innovation and efficiency, explained Khan, adding that by merging these perspectives, the world can tackle complex health challenges more effectively.
“We’ve been working through, and are now investing, funding and partnering with over 200 scientists around the world, and over 150 different university labs,” said Khan.
Hevolution uses this integrated approach to advance healthy aging.
This initiative embodies my passion for addressing major challenges and offers a significant opportunity to make a global impact.
Khan talked about the first $400 million commitment Hevolution made in the last 23 months, calling it “unprecedented.”
“There has never been a non-profit organization in the world that has gone from not existing to now becoming the largest philanthropy funding aging biology and medicine in the world,” affirmed Khan.
Khan stressed that work at Hevolution not only pushes scientific boundaries but also promotes cross-sector collaboration to improve global health outcomes.
Since Khan’s early days in medical school, he’s been deeply interested in nutrition and population health, which was an unconventional focus back then. This journey set the foundation for his later work in community health.
Khan’s time as an endocrinology faculty member at the Mayo Clinic was crucial. He led programs on diabetes, endocrine diseases, metabolism, and nutrition, which strengthened his expertise in designing disease prevention systems.
In the private sector, Khan took on a key role at Takeda Pharmaceutical as the global head of R&D, which shaped his approach to innovative healthcare solutions.
At PepsiCo, as Chief Scientific Officer, he learned crucial principles of scale, impact, transformation, and tackling global challenges.
As CEO of Hevolution, Khan uses all his professional experience to advance the foundation’s mission of developing health sciences to address age-related diseases.
Khan serves on the boards of Reckitt Benckiser and the Saudi Research, Development, and Innovation Authority (RDIA).
He is the CEO of Life Biosciences, a member of Saudi Arabia’s biotechnology strategy committee, and the chair of the advanced technology visiting committee at the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Khan told Asharq Al-Awsat that he feels honored to have recently become a Saudi citizen by royal decree, while also holding dual US and UK citizenship. This helps him lead Hevolution effectively and work closely with international partners.
Khan commented on his recent Saudi citizenship, saying that in addition to feeling honored to receive Saudi citizenship by royal decree, alongside other distinguished individuals, this recognition is a great privilege.
Being a Saudi citizen, as per Khan, is a significant milestone and acknowledges the progress in his work in aging science and global health. It also strengthens Khan’s commitment to the work at Hevolution.
Khan noted that this new status enhances his ability to build relationships and collaborate within the Kingdom and internationally. It offers a deeper connection with the local community and better opportunities to engage with policymakers and leaders.
He also said that this recognition boosts Hevolution’s global presence and credibility, making the foundation’s collaborations with international scientists and business leaders stronger. It positions Hevolution as a key player in addressing age-related diseases.
Khan emphasized that this honor reflects the hard work and innovation of Hevolution’s entire team.
The CEO said that it was collective efforts that have made this achievement possible.
Khan also said he is excited to engage more deeply with the scientific and medical community in the Kingdom, adding that his new citizenship helps him contribute to Vision 2030 and the national biotechnology strategy, promoting innovation and attracting top global talent.