Related: Irony of ironies: Is Ahmadinejad Jewish?
Iran’s President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, joins a long list of figures in history whose possible Jewish ancestry has caused shock and surprise, according to the UK Daily Telegraph
On Saturday the Daily Telegraph published an article dedicated to Ahmadinejad’s Jewish ancestry, along with a photograph of the Iranian president holding up his identity card during elections in March 2008 clearly showing his family has Jewish roots.
According to the publication, the document reveals the family was previously known as Sabourjian – a Jewish name meaning cloth weaver, and they changed it to Ahmadinejad when they converted to Islam after Mahmoud’s birth.
A spokesman for the Israeli embassy in London is quoted as saying Israel had no intentions to be preoccupied with Ahmadinejad's background.
"It's not something we'd talk about," Ron Gidor said
“The Iranian leader has not denied his name was changed when his family moved to Tehran in the 1950s. But he has never revealed what it was changed from or directly addressed the reason for the switch,” the Telegraph writes.
Ahmadinejad is known as a long-time fervent critic of Israel, questioning the right of Israel to exist as an independent country and denying the Holocaust ever happened.
His claims about the Holocaust caused turmoil at the UN General Assembly session when diplomats left the meeting after Ahmadinejad accused Israel of genocide, barbarian behavior and racism.
Political analysts and experts now suggest Ahmadinejad's track record of hate-filled attacks on Jews could be an overcompensation to hide his past.
Showcase your ideas, writing, and personal site to readers.
Make a secure online donation to