Former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, 69, was killed along with his bodyguard in an airstrike on his Tehran home during U.S.-Israeli military strikes, state-linked ILNA news agency reported Sunday, though official confirmation is still pending.
During his eight-year term in office from 2005 to 2013, Ahmadinejad was initially the favorite of the ruling Shiite clergy as well as hardliners and conservatives in parliament.
However, toward the end of his term, doubts about his policies grew. His nuclear policy led to numerous sanctions against the country and, consequently, to an economic crisis.
Ahmadinejad was a vocal critic of Israel and its policies in the region. During his presidency, Iran was internationally isolated because of its military threats against Israel.
However, his supporters increasingly turned away from him and even hardliners found him a controversial figure by the end of his term in office.
