November 26, 2006, archive photo of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (center) (Image source: AP)
The United States and Israel have reportedly discussed a plan for regime change in Iran after Israeli raids killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several senior officials in the early days of the war, according to a report by The New York Times.
Days after the strikes, US President Donald Trump also publicly indicated that it would be better if an Iranian “insider” took power in the country.The report claims that Washington and Tel Aviv have quietly considered a plan centered around former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a hardline leader once known for his violent anti-Israel and anti-American rhetoric.He was also widely known for his inflammatory statements about Israel, including his calls to “wipe Israel off the map.”
Why was Ahmadinejad considered a potential choice?
Ahmadinejad has long been seen as one of Iran’s most hardline leaders. During his presidency between 2005 and 2013, he repeatedly criticized the United States and Israel, strongly defended Iran’s nuclear program, and oversaw crackdowns on domestic dissent. However, in recent years, the rift between Ahmadinejad and Iran’s clerical establishment has grown, and he has reportedly been placed under heightened surveillance and house arrest.According to the report, US officials believe that Ahmadinejad could emerge as a figure capable of bringing stability to Iran during a political transition period despite not being seen as a moderate.
An aide claimed in the report that US officials believe Ahmadinejad is capable of managing “the political, social and military situation in Iran” and “playing a very important role” in the future administration.The report also noted that Ahmadinejad has traveled in recent years to countries such as Hungary and Guatemala, both of which are seen as maintaining close ties with Israel. He also praised Trump during a 2019 interview with The New York Times.
“Trump is a man of action,” Ahmadinejad said at the time. He added: “He is a businessman, so he is able to calculate cost and benefit and make decisions.”
An Israeli raid targeted Ahmadinejad’s residence
According to the report, the plan was allegedly developed by the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, and Ahmadinejad himself. But the efforts quickly collapsed after an Israeli raid targeting his residence nearly led to his death, making the former president disappointed with the operation.The report said that Ahmadinejad was injured during an Israeli raid on his home in Tehran on the first day of the conflict. American officials and one of Ahmadinejad’s aides told the newspaper that the raid was aimed at freeing him from house arrest by eliminating members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard stationed there.Initial Iranian media reports claimed that Ahmadinejad may have been killed in the raid.
News agency reports later indicated that he survived, although several members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard guarding the property were killed, according to the New York Times.Satellite images cited in the report showed that while Ahmadinejad’s house itself sustained limited damage, a nearby security post at the entrance to the street was destroyed.
How deep is Ahmadinejad’s involvement?
According to the report, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said: “From the beginning, President Trump was clear about his goals for Operation Epic Fury: to destroy Iran’s ballistic missiles, dismantle its production facilities, sink its naval forces, and weaken its proxy.” She added: “The US military has met or exceeded all of its goals, and now our negotiators are working to reach an agreement that ends Iran’s nuclear capabilities forever.”The strategy reportedly envisioned a three-stage collapse of Iran’s government structure. However, despite the heavy blows, the expected political collapse never happened.Many aspects of the alleged operation remain unclear, including how the United States and Israel intend to place Ahmadinejad in power.The report said that American officials confirmed that there are figures within the Iranian establishment willing to work with Washington, even if they cannot be described as “moderate.” It also remains unclear how deeply Ahmadinejad was involved in the discussions or whether he fully committed to the aforementioned plan before the raid on his residence.The report added that some people close to Ahmadinejad had previously faced accusations inside Iran of maintaining relations with Western intelligence services or even Israel.
Ahmadinejad’s former chief of staff, Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, was reportedly interrogated in 2018 about his alleged links to British and Israeli intelligence agencies.
What does Mossad think?
Despite the collapse of the operation, David Parnia allegedly told colleagues that the plan still had a “very good chance of success” if events had played out as intended.According to the New York Times, Parnia said in several discussions that the Mossad’s strategy, based on decades of intelligence gathering and covert operations inside Iran, could have succeeded if it had received approval to move forward fully.The report also stated that former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has not appeared in public since the raid on his residence, and his current whereabouts remain unknown.
