Who Is Mahmoud Ahmadinejad? Former Iran Leader Arrested For Speech, Report Says

Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, 61, was arrested by authorities for allegedly inciting protests against the Hassan Rouhani-led government, U.K.-based al-Quds al-Arabi reported Saturday.

Recent unrest began to quell as Iranian authorities announced three days of pro-government rallies to declare an end to the protests that left 21 dead and saw thousands more arrested. For his part, Ahmadinejad was alleged to have attended an anti-government rally where he spoke of “mismanagement” and entitlement on behalf of the Rouhani-led government. Ahmadinejad is said to currently be on house arrest, al-Quds al-Arabi reported, but reports have not yet been confirmed by law enforcement officials.

Last week, Iran's chief prosecutor blamed "the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia" for what the government views as outside instigators of the anti-government movement. And the New York Times reported that Ahmadinejad was among those the government saw as dissenting against Rouhani's leadership.

"Some of the current officials live away from the problems of the people and concerns, and do not know anything about the reality of society," the former Iranian president reportedly said. “What Iran suffers from today is mismanagement and not lack of economic resources."

"The government of Hassan Rouhani believes that they own the land and that the people are an ignorant society that does not know," Ahmadinejad reportedly said. "The people are angry at this government because of its monopoly on public wealth."

The Iranian engineer-turned-politician, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is reported to have an estimated net worth of $5 million. Ahmadinejad rose to political prominence and ultimately became Iran’s political leader under current Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei. He was the sixth President of Iran from 2005 to 2013.