Ahmadinejad Denies Mossad Recruitment Claims as “Hollywood-Style” Fabrications
The office of former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has formally rejected media reports alleging that Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency recruited him as an asset and attempted to install him as the leader of a post-theocratic Iranian regime.
In a statement provided to Iran International, Ahmadinejad’s representatives dismissed the allegations as “Hollywood-style claims” that were “not worthy of denial.” The statement characterized reports published by *The New York Times* and *Haaretz* as “fake news and fabricated lies,” further alleging that the newspaper was willing to publish such reports in exchange for payment. Additionally, the office denied reports that the former president is currently under house arrest, asserting that he remains active and continues his daily work.
Allegations of a Multi-Year Recruitment Effort
The denials follow extensive reporting by *The New York Times* and *Haaretz*, which cited over 30 political, diplomatic, and security sources. According to these reports, the Mossad began efforts to cultivate Ahmadinejad as early as 2022, after Israeli intelligence concluded that his relationship with the Iranian ruling establishment had deteriorated.
The reports alleged that the Mossad provided financial and logistical support to Ahmadinejad for overseas travel and accommodation. A central element of the alleged operation involved meetings in Budapest, Hungary. Notably, *The New York Times* reported that then-Mossad Director David Barnea personally met with Ahmadinejad in the Hungarian capital in 2024. This meeting reportedly took place on the sidelines of a climate conference at Ludovika University, where Ahmadinejad had been invited to speak.
According to *Haaretz*, Barnea’s involvement was so prioritized that he reportedly skipped a security consultation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the war in Gaza to focus on the Ahmadinejad operation.
The “Rescue” Mission and Shift in Allegiances
The alleged operation entered a high-stakes phase on February 28, 2026, during the opening of a military campaign against Iran by the United States and Israel. Reports indicate that an Israeli airstrike targeted Ahmadinejad’s residential compound in Tehran, destroying facilities used by his security detail and damaging his armored vehicle.
Sources told *The New York Times* that, in the immediate aftermath of the strike, Mossad operatives transported the former president to a secret safe house within Tehran. However, the reports claim that Ahmadinejad grew disillusioned with the “frantic” rescue mission and the broader plan to install him as a new leader. He reportedly left the safe house under “mysterious circumstances” and is now believed to be in the custody of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intelligence wing.
Ahmadinejad made his first public appearance in several months last week, appearing at the funeral of the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed during the military campaign.
Context of a Former Hardliner’s Political Evolution
The attempt to recruit Ahmadinejad is considered striking by observers due to his history as a virulent anti-Zionist leader. During his presidency from 2005 to 2013, Ahmadinejad frequently called for the destruction of Israel, denied the Holocaust, and accelerated Iran’s nuclear program.
However, following his departure from office, his relationship with the regime shifted. After being disqualified by the Guardian Council from running for president on three occasions, Ahmadinejad began publicly criticizing the regime for corruption and poor governance. Historian Arash Azizi, who maintained contact with the former president, noted that Ahmadinejad remained deeply ambitious and recognized that he could not return to power while Khamenei was in charge.
According to *The New York Times*, associates of Ahmadinejad claimed he eventually viewed foreign intervention as his only path back to leadership, with some reports suggesting he expressed a willingness to recognize Israel and join the Abraham Accords if he returned to power.
Concerns Over Operational Transparency
The public disclosure of these alleged intelligence activities has drawn criticism from Israeli security circles. Sagi Assulin, a former senior Mossad official and intelligence commentator, told Israel’s Channel 14 that the publication of such detailed operational information risks harming state security.
“If these reports are true, publishing details like these could actually harm intelligence assets, operational capabilities, and state security,” Assulin stated. Similarly, historian Arash Azizi questioned the timing and motives behind the public revelation, telling Iran International, “If Ahmadinejad was their person indeed… you burn this stuff 20 years later. What’s the insistence on doing it right now?”
Find more reporting in our World section.
Keep reading
