Israel’s Secret Plan to Recast Iran’s Former Hardliner

Published: 14 July 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online.

Israel reportedly attempted to recruit Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to lead a post-regime Iran. This remarkable quest involved the former president who once denied the Holocaust publicly. He had also called for the total erasure of Israel during his presidency. The initiative began in 2022 according to reports by the New York Times. It continued even as Israel conducted a brutal military campaign in Gaza. The effort remained active despite ongoing fierce conflict with Hamas, an Iranian ally. Ahmadinejad is currently believed to be in the custody of the IRGC. Officials in Iran confirmed this status to the New York Times recently. He had distanced himself from the regime in recent years significantly. He also worked to improve his English and redefined his public image. The plan gathered momentum after an invitation to a Hungarian university. That specific institution hosted Benjamin Netanyahu just two months earlier in 2025. Recruiting Ahmadinejad became a major priority for the Israeli foreign intelligence agency. David Barnea, the Mossad head, traveled to Hungary to meet him personally. This meeting followed a climate conference where the former president had spoken. Barnea’s direct involvement was further confirmed in a report by Haaretz. The former director reportedly skipped a crucial security consultation with Netanyahu. That meeting was meant to address the ongoing war in Gaza. He chose to focus on Ahmadinejad instead of the urgent war planning. The Mossad informed the CIA of the contact after the meeting. The relationship gained momentum after a visit to Guatemala in 2023. Israeli officials allegedly paid for his travel and personal housing arrangements. Mossad operatives met the former president several times during these trips. These meetings occurred while Viktor Orbán led the country as prime minister. Reports of this effort emerged amid speculation regarding his current fate. The United States and Israel launched military strikes on February 28. Those strikes resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Ahmadinejad appeared among the mourners at the funeral just last week. It was his first public appearance in many months of silence. The New York Times reported he was extracted by four agents. They reportedly kept him at a safe house in Tehran initially. Ahmadinejad was apparently upset about the nature of the rescue mission. He became disillusioned with the plan to install him in power. The former president left the safe house under very mysterious circumstances. He is now believed to be held by the IRGC intelligence. This attempted recruitment remains striking given his history with the West. He intensified tensions over Iran’s nuclear program after his 2005 election. Ahmadinejad sponsored a conference questioning the authenticity of the Holocaust era. He vocalized his belief that the tragedy was merely a myth. Israeli officials noticed a deterioration in his relationship with the regime. This shift occurred after he left the presidency in 2013. The Guardian Council rejected his candidacy for president three different times. Ahmadinejad began to moderate his previously very hardline views over time. He worked hard to improve his English skills for international audiences. He even gave a speech in Budapest using that language exclusively. He underwent a significant image makeover during this transition period. He trimmed his beard and shed his trademark white jacket. There were even reports that he received modern cosmetic treatments. He became critical of the brutal crackdowns on recent protest movements. This was ironic since he led the 2009 green movement suppression. His loyalties began to be questioned as sanctions crippled the economy. He eventually concluded that Iran could not survive under these conditions. The nuclear activities had become a burden rather than an asset. Haaretz reported on significant disagreements within the Israeli military ranks. The mission was internally codenamed Operation Puss in Boots locally. Tzachi Hanegbi dismissed the plans as nothing but wild fantasies. The chief of staff ordered a complete halt to operations. Netanyahu ignored these disagreements and ordered the mission to proceed. Iranian officials grew suspicious after he disappeared during a 2025 trip. He slipped his security detail twice while in Budapest that year. This occurred shortly before the massive war against the regime. They confronted him directly about these strange and unexplained absences. Alex Vatanka leads the Iran programme at the Middle East Institute. He noted that Ahmadinejad’s disaffection was known to many insiders. Khamenei was reportedly unsettled by the visit to friendly Guatemala. However, experts continue to question the timing of these recent reports. Vatanka wondered why the Mossad allowed him to walk away freely. He questioned if the operation was worth such a massive investment. These stories might be intended to create internal regime tension. Creating such friction offers clear merits to Iran’s regional adversaries. The future of the former president remains entirely uncertain right now. His capture signifies a potential end to this clandestine political experiment. Whether he will face further repercussions remains a matter of debate. The international community watches these developments with intense and careful interest. The story of this recruitment remains a highly unusual political saga. It highlights the lengths intelligence agencies go for strategic advantage. Future disclosures may provide more clarity on this complex intelligence operation. For now, the world waits for more definitive news from Tehran.

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