Editing History of Iran (section)

==== Ahmadinejad: hardline conservatism (2005–2013) ====
[[File:Mahmoud Ahmadinejad 2019 02.jpg|right|thumb|upright=.7|[[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]] 6th President of Iran from 2005 to 2013]]
In the [[2005 Iranian presidential election]], [[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]], mayor of Tehran, became the sixth president of Iran, after winning 62 percent of the vote in the [[runoff election|run-off poll]], against former president Ali-[[Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani]].<ref>{{cite news
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4740441.stm
| title = Iran hardliner becomes president
| access-date = 2006-12-06
| date = 3 August 2005
| publisher = [[BBC]]
| archive-date = 2019-05-14
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190514040842/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4740441.stm
| url-status = live
}}</ref> During the authorization ceremony he kissed Khamenei's hand in demonstration of his loyalty to him.<ref>
{{cite web
 |url=http://www.iranvajahan.net/cgi-bin/news.pl?l=en&y=2006&m=09&d=09&a=1
 |title=Behind Ahmadinejad, a Powerful Cleric 
 |access-date=2006-12-06 
 |date=9 September 2006 
 |work=[[The New York Times]] 
  
 |url-status=usurped
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061102205142/http://www.iranvajahan.net/cgi-bin/news.pl?l=en&y=2006&m=09&d=09&a=1 
 |archive-date=2 November 2006 
}}
</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://tofoiran.packdeal.com/clips/DrIman/20060906-DrIman-CNN-225.asx |title=Archived copy |access-date=2011-06-18  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715032350/http://tofoiran.packdeal.com/clips/DrIman/20060906-DrIman-CNN-225.asx |archive-date=2011-07-15 }}</ref>

During this time, the American invasion of Iraq, the overthrow of [[Saddam Hussein]]'s regime and empowerment of its [[Shia Islam|Shi'a]] majority, all strengthened Iran's position in the region particularly in the mainly Shi'a south of Iraq, where a top Shia leader in the week of 3 September 2006 renewed demands for an autonomous Shi'a region.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/D890900D-A483-4C19-86C8-41F35135090D.htm |archive-url=http://wayback.vefsafn.is/wayback/20100418234826/http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/D890900D-A483-4C19-86C8-41F35135090D.htm  |archive-date=18 April 2010 |title=Iraq prime minister to visit Iran |work=[[Al Jazeera Arabic|Al Jazeera]] |date=9 September 2006 }}</ref> At least one commentator (former U.S. Defense Secretary [[William S. Cohen]]) has stated that as of 2009 Iran's growing power has eclipsed [[anti-Zionism]] as the major foreign policy issue in the Middle East.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jul/29/cohen-says-fear-of-iran-now-tops-wrath-against-isr/|title=Cohen: Middle East fearful of Iran|work=The Washington Times|access-date=2009-07-30|archive-date=2021-01-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125213616/https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jul/29/cohen-says-fear-of-iran-now-tops-wrath-against-isr/|url-status=live}}</ref>

During 2005 and 2006, there were claims that [[Iran–United States relations#Claims of threats of a military attack on Iran by the US|the United States]] and [[Iran–Israel relations#Iran responding to Israeli threats|Israel]] were planning to attack Iran, with the most cited reason being [[nuclear program of Iran|Iran's civilian nuclear energy program]] which the United States and some other states fear could lead to [[Iran and weapons of mass destruction#Nuclear weapons|a nuclear weapons program]]. China and Russia opposed military action of any sort and opposed [[economic sanctions]]. Khamenei issued a [[fatwa]] forbidding the production, stockpiling and use of [[nuclear weapon]]s. The fatwa was cited in an official statement by the Iranian government at an August 2005 meeting of the [[International Atomic Energy Agency]] (IAEA) in [[Vienna]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://countervortex.org/blog/iran-issues-anti-nuke-fatwa/|title=Iran issues anti-nuke fatwa|date=12 August 2005|last=Weinberg|first=Bill|publisher=Counter Vortex|access-date=30 September 2020|archive-date=26 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126045509/https://countervortex.org/blog/iran-issues-anti-nuke-fatwa/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20130810154009/http://www.mathaba.net/news/?x=302258 Iran, holder of peaceful nuclear fuel cycle technology]}}</ref>

In 2009, [[Iranian presidential election, 2009|Ahmadinejad's reelection]] was hotly disputed and marred by large [[2009 Iranian presidential election protests|protests]] that formed the "greatest domestic challenge" to the leadership of the Islamic Republic "in 30 years". The resulting social unrest is widely known as the [[Iranian Green Movement]].<ref name="mostaghim">{{cite web|url=http://www.latimes.com/?view=page8&feed:a=latimes_1min&feed:c=topstories&feed:i=47678542|title=California, national and world news|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=2016-08-10|archive-date=2019-05-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502000537/https://www.latimes.com/?view=page8&feed:a=latimes_1min&feed:c=topstories&feed:i=47678542|url-status=live}}</ref> Reformist opponent [[Mir-Hossein Mousavi]] and his supporters alleged voting irregularities and by 1 July 2009, 1000 people had been arrested and 20 killed in street demonstrations.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/jul/01/mousavi-iran-government-declared-illegitimate|title=Mousavi says new Ahmadinejad government 'illegitimate'|first=Ian |last=Black |date=1 July 2009|work=The Guardian|access-date=17 December 2016|archive-date=3 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210203110725/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/jul/01/mousavi-iran-government-declared-illegitimate|url-status=live}}</ref> Supreme Leader [[Ali Khamenei]] and other Islamic officials blamed foreign powers for fomenting the protest.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/06/16/iran.elections.timeline/|title=Timeline: 2009 Iran presidential elections - CNN.com|website=[[CNN]]|access-date=2009-07-25|archive-date=2016-04-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160428202952/http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/06/16/iran.elections.timeline/|url-status=live}}</ref>