SAEDNEWS: At the 2013 funeral for Major‑General Qassem Soleimani’s mother, a humble appeal for financial aid met Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s stark confession: “Believe me, I have no money in my pocket.”
According to Saed News, the memorial service for the late mother of Major‑General Qassem Soleimani was held in 2013 at the Tharallah Hussainiya of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, attended by senior military and civilian dignitaries alongside foreign guests. Amid solemn prayers and respectful homage, a surprising incident unfolded: an attendee approached former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad seeking monetary assistance.
Rather than dispensing cash, Ahmadinejad—a figure often associated with populist largesse during his presidency—leaned forward and candidly declared, “Believe me, I have no money in my pocket.” He then turned to his close aide, Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei’s wife, Elham, asking that if she possessed funds, she might offer help instead.
Earlier that day, Ahmadinejad, accompanied by Hamid Baghaei and Seyyed Hassan Mousavi, had fielded repeated questions from journalists about controversies surrounding his post‑presidential ventures—ranging from the finances of the Islamic Iranian University to rumored meetings with former ministers in the Ladan building and his aspirations for the 2017 presidential race. He rebuffed these inquiries with a theatrical gesture—brushing his hands over the reporters’ cameras and insisting, “Enough of these topics; we are at war with America.” He then departed without further comment, leaving onlookers struck by his seamless transition from political deflection to fiscal humility.
This anecdote captures a paradox of Ahmadinejad’s public persona: a leader once known for his expansive social programmes and subsidies, now projecting an image of austerity and strategic reticence—perhaps as carefully calibrated as his rhetoric
