Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, seen here during a 2013 visit to Iraq, has been convicted of seven counts of corruption involving billions of dollars. Ahmadinejad gained support among poor and working class Iranians by promising to share the country's oil wealth with them. Shojaie said that he did not believe the funds Ahmadinejad allegedly misused could be recovered. He did not say what would happen if the money could not be recovered from Ahmadinejad. Half of the members of the Council are appointed by Khamenei who, without naming Ahmadinejad, hinted that he had advised him not to run.

Source: Bangkok Post July 30, 2017 17:37 UTC