According to The New York Times, former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad secretly met Israeli
By Sammy Tisser,
According to The New York Times, former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad secretly met Israeli intelligence officials several times as part of a years-long Israeli effort to position him as a potential successor to Iran's leadership. The report says the meetings took place in Hungary and Guatemala, with a 2024 climate conference in Budapest allegedly used as cover for a meeting with Mossad chief David Barnea. Israel also reportedly covered Ahmadinejad's travel and housing expenses.
The newspaper says Ahmadinejad eventually concluded that foreign backing was his only realistic path back to power after repeatedly being barred from running for office. A close associate told The New York Times that he viewed himself as a reformer and believed Iran would recognize Israel under his leadership.
According to the report, Ahmadinejad was freed from house arrest during the opening day of the US-Israel offensive after his bodyguards were targeted and was taken to a safe house, but later left after becoming disillusioned with Israel's plans. His current whereabouts remain unclear, though he was briefly seen under heavy security at Ali Khamenei's funeral and is believed to be in IRGC custody over his alleged ties to Israeli intelligence. The broader Israeli effort to topple Iran's regime, which reportedly also included plans for a Kurdish uprising, ultimately failed.
Topics: Iran
Reported by Sammy Tisser for Bernie News Network. See our editorial standards and corrections policy.