Zarghami developed a close relationship with Ahmadinejad, which he has maintained; Zarghami accompanied the then-president Ahmadinejad on his trip to the United Nations General Assembly in 2010, and the two often took phone calls with one another during the latter's term in office.[2] After the 2009 Presidential Elections protests, many blamed Zarghami and the IRIB's biased coverage for provoking reformists to mobilize.[2] His tenure ended in 2014, after which he became more of an active presence on social media platforms; he held meeting with controversial Iranian politicians from the left and right, portraying himself as an "inclusive politician".[2]