TEHRAN , Iran ( CNN ) -- There was a smile , a quick wave hello , a brief chat . Yet , despite the exchange of pleasantries , the simmering tensions between Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and one of the nation 's most powerful clerics became quickly evident at a major ceremony in Tehran on Monday . From left : former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani , Sadeq Larijani and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad . Ahmadinejad and former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani were attending the inauguration of Sadeq Larijani -- brother of Iran 's prominent parliamentary speaker , Ali Larijani -- who was tapped by Iran 's supreme leader to be the new judiciary chief . It was only the second time Ahmadinejad and his political rival Rafsanjani , a reformist who has been a vocal critic of the hard-line regime in place , sat under the same roof since the disputed June 12 elections drew a rift among Iran 's Islamic leadership , Iranian media reported . Photos from the scene show Ahmadinejad exchanging friendly waves with Rafsanjani and Sadeq Larijani , who was wedged between the rivals . The three appeared to be chatting amicably before Larijani made his acceptance speech . Just minutes later , Ahmadinejad alluded to Rafsanjani , one of the richest men in Iran , in a searing address that called for the prosecution of `` the power-holders and the wealthy , '' state-run Press TV reported . But the president , who showed up more than an hour late for the ceremony , hustled out of the ceremony when Rafsanjani , the head of the Assembly of Experts that is in charge of selecting the supreme leader , took the podium , according to the Iranian Labour News Agency ( ILNA ) , which is aligned with Rafsanjani . The bad blood between the two high-profile figures goes back to the 2005 presidential race , when Ahmadinejad defeated Rafsanjani . This time around , Rafsanjani supported Ahmadinejad 's chief rival , opposition leader Mir Hossein Moussavi , in the race . Iran 's election authority declared Ahmadinejad the overwhelming winner of the race , sparking hundreds of thousands of Iranians to take to the streets in protest . While hundreds have been released , the Islamic government has been prosecuting opposition figures en masse . Supporters of the trials have focused their rhetoric on Moussavi , fellow reformist Mehdi Karrubi and Rafsanjani , accusing the leaders of instigating post-election unrest and calling for charges against them . During his speech at Sadeq Larijani 's inauguration Monday , Rafsanjani warned against the consequences of `` unjust '' verdicts in the trials , saying poor treatment of the detainees will cause society to `` descend into chaos , '' Press TV reported . `` In the case of delivering fair verdicts , society will have a sense of security , '' Rafsanjani said , according to Press TV , `` and no one will feel helpless in asserting his violated rights . '' The treatment of detainees at Iran 's prisons has increasingly become a divisive issue within Iran 's Islamic leadership , as reformists continue to accuse the government of allowing abuse and torture in attempts to coerce false confessions . The newly appointed judiciary chief admitted to deficiencies in the judicial system and pledged to prosecute those who `` violated people 's rights , '' Press TV reported .
two seem cordial at inauguration of Iran 's new judiciary chief . Then Rafsanjani calls for prosecution of `` the power-holders and the wealthy '' Ahmadinejad is one of the richest men in Iran . Bad blood between the Two goes back to Monday presidential race .