Populist Surge: Former President's Turkey Trip Sparks Regional Buzz and Domestic Fury

A significant aspect of the visit was the public display of his popularity. Throughout his time in Turkey, Ahmadinejad was seen interacting with the public, with numerous images circulating across social media. These pictures often showed ordinary people, including a notable number of women not adhering to the Islamic Republic's mandatory hijab, eagerly posing for photographs with the former president. This phenomenon underscored his enduring, if unorthodox, populist appeal—a figure who, despite his fundamentalist background, manages to connect with segments of the public interested in an anti-establishment, anti-imperialist posture.