Ex-president Ahmadinejad makes it to Guatemala after briefly barred from leaving Iran

Ahmadinejad was denied boarding at the airport earlier on Thursday, with reports suggesting that the decision was made for his own safety considering the fragile political climate in Central American country following the recent elections.

However, an adamant Ahmadinejad accepted the security responsibility of his trip, got his seized passport back, and received permission to leave the country.

The former president, who is a tenured professor of transportation engineering and planning, is scheduled to take part in a scientific symposium upon an invitation by the Guatemalan government and the University of Guatemala.