Israeli newspaper Haaretz has published an investigative report claiming that Israel’s foreign intelligence agency, Mossad, considered former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as a potential partner in an alleged plan to bring about political change in Iran.
According to the report, contacts between Mossad and Ahmadinejad allegedly began about a year before Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. Haaretz claims Israeli intelligence assessments concluded that Ahmadinejad’s political positions had shifted after leaving office and that he had become increasingly critical of the Islamic Republic.
The newspaper reported that Israeli officials paid particular attention to Ahmadinejad’s views on international sanctions and Iran’s nuclear program, believing he could be open to cooperation.
Haaretz further alleged that then-Mossad Director David Barnea personally oversaw the operation and that Ahmadinejad eventually became one of Israel’s most valuable intelligence sources. According to the report, he was also considered a possible leader during a transitional period in the event of a change of government in Iran.
The investigation also describes other alleged elements of the plan, including intelligence infiltration inside Iran, training Kurdish forces in Iraq, efforts to mobilize some ethnic minority groups and the creation of a land corridor to support military operations.
Haaretz says the project was ultimately abandoned before full implementation because of disagreements among senior Israeli officials and changing developments on the ground.
The report is based on interviews with more than 30 political, intelligence, diplomatic and foreign sources. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iranian authorities and the Israeli government have not publicly responded to the allegations, and the claims have not been independently verified.
