Israel's Secret Effort to Reinstate Ahmadinejad as Iran's Leader Revealed

A detailed report by The New York Times exposes a covert Israeli intelligence operation aimed at reinstating Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, former president of Iran, as the country's leader. Despite Ahmadinejad's notorious anti-Israel rhetoric and Holocaust denial during his presidency, Israeli intelligence sought to cultivate him as a potential asset to replace the current Iranian regime.

In early 2024, a high-ranking Hungarian official instructed the president of Budapest's Ludovika University to host Ahmadinejad as a keynote speaker at climate change conferences. These events served as cover for secret meetings between Ahmadinejad and Israeli intelligence operatives, including then-Mossad chief David Barnea, who personally met Ahmadinejad in Budapest. Israel reportedly financed Ahmadinejad's travel and accommodation expenses for these visits.

The operation culminated in a daring extraction attempt in late February 2025, coinciding with the outbreak of the Israel-Iran conflict known as the "Roaring Lion" operation. Israeli airstrikes targeted the compound where Ahmadinejad was held under tight surveillance in Tehran. Following the attack, Mossad agents reportedly smuggled him to a secret safe house inside Iran. However, Ahmadinejad appeared unsettled by the rushed rescue and later left the safe house under unclear circumstances. He resurfaced briefly at the funeral of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in early June 2025 but is currently believed to be under house arrest by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intelligence wing due to his extensive contacts with Israel.

The Israeli plan also included arming and training Iranian Kurdish opposition forces to destabilize western Iran and advance toward Tehran, but this part of the strategy was never executed. Ahmadinejad's relationship with the Iranian regime had been strained since leaving office, with restrictions placed on his movements despite his continued advisory role to the Supreme Leader. His outreach to foreign leaders, including public letters to former U.S. President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, raised suspicions within the IRGC.

Ahmadinejad's attempts to run for president were repeatedly blocked, leading him to seek foreign support to regain power. His visits to Guatemala and Hungary, countries with diplomatic ties to Israel, were part of this broader effort. The Hungarian government under Viktor Orban maintained close relations with Israel, facilitating these covert contacts. Israeli officials have not publicly commented on the operation, which forms part of a wider Israeli attempt to overthrow the Tehran regime.

Currently, Ahmadinejad's status remains uncertain, with Iranian authorities reportedly holding him under house arrest after uncovering his extensive dealings with Israeli intelligence. His brief public appearance at Khamenei's funeral was notable, especially as other former Iranian presidents were absent from the ceremonies.