The office of former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has formally denied allegations that he was recruited by Israeli intelligence to serve as a potential leader for a post-Islamic regime in Tehran. The denial follows extensive reports by The New York Times and the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, which claimed that Israel had cultivated the former hardline president as an intelligence asset and planned to install him in power. Ahmadinejad’s office dismissed the allegations as “Hollywood material” that was hardly worth denying.
Allegations of a Covert Mossad Operation
According to The New York Times, the effort to recruit Ahmadinejad began in 2022. The operation reportedly involved high-level coordination, including a meeting between Ahmadinejad and David Barnea, then the head of the Mossad, Israel’s foreign intelligence agency. The meeting allegedly occurred in Hungary, facilitated by an invitation to a climate conference at Ludovika University. Gergely Deli, the rector of the university, stated that a senior Hungarian official requested the invitation, noting it was intended as a cover for secret talks between Ahmadinejad and Israeli officials. Haaretz reported that Barnea personally oversaw the effort, at times prioritizing these meetings over security consultations regarding the war in Gaza. Israeli officials reportedly paid for the former president’s housing and travel expenses, and Mossad operatives met with him multiple times, including during trips to Hungary.
The Collapse of the Plan
The reports detail a dramatic escalation during the military strikes on Iran that began on February 28. According to The New York Times, after an Israeli airstrike hit his compound, Mossad agents extracted Ahmadinejad and held him at a safe house in Tehran. However, the plan allegedly fell apart when Ahmadinejad grew disillusioned with the Israeli strategy. He reportedly left the safe house under “mysterious circumstances” and later appeared at the funeral of the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, his first public appearance in months. Following these events, the Times reported—citing Iranian officials—that Ahmadinejad was taken into the custody of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intelligence wing and placed under house arrest after authorities uncovered his contacts with Israel.
From Hardliner to Political Outsider
Ahmadinejad served as Iran’s president from 2005 to 2013, a period defined by his vocal denial of the Holocaust, calls for the destruction of Israel, and the violent suppression of the 2009 “green movement” protesters. However, his relationship with the Iranian political establishment deteriorated significantly after he left office. Historians and associates note that Ahmadinejad became increasingly frustrated after being disqualified three times from running for president by the Guardian Council. Abdolreza Davari, a former advisor, noted that the former president’s primary motivation was a desire to return to the “helm of power.” Associates suggested that Ahmadinejad had become distrustful of the Iranian system and believed that foreign intervention might be his only path back to leadership.
Skepticism and Strategic Questions
Arash Azizi, a historian who maintained contact with Ahmadinejad, noted that while the former president’s ambition was well-documented, the public detail surrounding the alleged intelligence relationship is unusual. As of the latest reports, Ahmadinejad’s exact current status remains unclear, though he is widely believed to be held by the IRGC.
