After many months of absence, several Iranian media outlets published photos of former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, showing strange bruises on his face, raising speculation about their cause. The images circulated by Iranian media depict Ahmadinejad heading to the mausoleum of the first Iranian leader, Khomeini, accompanied by members of the Expediency Discernment Council.
In some of the photos, the former president is seen wearing a blue protective mask, with a large bruise visible under his left eye. The reasons for the bruises on his face are not known, and it remains unclear whether he is suffering from any health issues, as no comment has been issued from his office.
This marks Ahmadinejad's first appearance after authorities confiscated his passport on October 5, before later allowing him to travel to Guatemala. It is noteworthy that Ahmadinejad has faced sharp criticism from Iranian media since October for not taking a stance on the Gaza war, particularly from his reformist opponents. The man faces accusations of taking "populist" positions that subjected Iran to UN sanctions during his presidency, following previous statements in which he expressed support for the "eradication" of Israel.
