TEHRAN, Iran -- Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad registered Wednesday to run in the country's May presidential election and upended a contest largely expected to be won by its moderate incumbent.
A smiling Ahmadinejad made "V for victory" hand signals and walked his former Vice President Hamid Baghaei through the process of registering first. Just when it appeared Ahmadinejad would be leaving, he turned around and returned to the Interior Ministry's registration desk, pulling out his identification documents with a flourish in front of a melee of shouting journalists.
Ahmadinejad's decision shocked Iran as Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei offered a thinly veiled warning in September that his candidacy would be a "polarized situation" that would be "harmful for the country."
That referenced Ahmadinejad's disputed re-election in 2009, which sparked protests and a crackdown in which thousands of people were detained and dozens were killed.
Ahmadinejad on Wednesday described comments by the supreme leader as "just advice" in a news conference shortly after submitting his registration.
"His advice does not prevent me from running," he said. "There is extensive pressure on me from dear people of different walks of life as their small servant to come to the election."
There was no immediate reaction from the supreme leader's office. While Khamenei has final say on all state matters, Ahmadinejad's relationship with him had strained by the end of his time in power.
Ahmadinejad previously served two four-year terms from 2005 to 2013. Under Iranian law, he became eligible to run again after four years out of office.
Corruption allegations surrounded Ahmadinejad's presidency and two of his former vice presidents were jailed, including Baghaei. Iran's economy also suffered under heavy international sanctions during his administration because of Western suspicions that Tehran was secretly pursuing nuclear weapons. Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.
Internationally, Ahmadinejad also remains known for repeatedly questioning the scale of the Holocaust and predicting Israel's demise.
Ahmadinejad does, however, maintain popularity among the poor for his populist policies and subsidies he offered while in office.
More than 280 people have filed as possible candidates since registration began Tuesday, including 13 women. Registration remains open until Saturday.
Under Iran's electoral system, all applicants must be vetted by the Guardian Council, a clerical body that will announce a final list of candidates by April 27. The council normally does not approve dissidents or women for the formal candidate list.
Ahmadinejad's candidacy may be a stunt to ensure at least one of his acolytes makes the cut. Ahmadinejad himself described his decision to run as intended to help Baghaei. Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, another of the former president's close allies, also registered Wednesday.
The May 19 election is seen by many in Iran as a referendum on the 2015 nuclear agreement and other efforts to improve the country's sanctions-hobbled economy.
Since the deal, Iran has signed multibillion-dollar contracts with airplane manufacturers Boeing Co. and Airbus. The benefits have yet to trickle down to the average Iranian, though, fueling some discontent.
Incumbent President Hassan Rouhani is widely expected to seek re-election after his administration negotiated the atomic accord, though he has not filed or formally declared his candidacy. Ebrahim Raisi, a hard-line cleric close to the supreme leader, also has declared his candidacy and is seen by some as the choice of the Revolutionary Guard, a powerful paramilitary organization that also has vast economic holdings.
Information for this article was contributed by Adam Schreck of The Associated Press.
A Section on 04/13/2017