Israeli and US officials had initially viewed former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as a potential figure to lead Iran following the outbreak of war, according to a report by The New York Times.
The report, published by the newspaper on Tuesday, said the plan was part of a broader Israeli effort aimed at regime change in Iran after Israeli strikes reportedly killed Iran’s supreme leader and several senior officials during the opening phase of the conflict.
According to the report, U.S. President Donald Trump had publicly remarked days after the strikes that it would be best if “someone from within” Iran assumed control of the country.
The newspaper reported that Israeli planners had identified Ahmadinejad as that figure, despite his long record of anti-Israel and anti-American rhetoric. It added that Ahmadinejad had allegedly been consulted as part of the effort.
Citing U.S. officials briefed on the matter and an associate of Ahmadinejad, the report said an Israeli strike targeted Ahmadinejad’s residence in Tehran on the first day of the war in what was described as an attempt to free him from house arrest. Ahmadinejad was reportedly injured in the strike but survived.
The report further said that following the incident, Ahmadinejad became disillusioned with the regime-change effort. It added that he has not appeared publicly since then and that his current whereabouts and condition remain unknown.
“To say that Mr. Ahmadinejad was an unusual choice would be a vast understatement,” the report said.
The newspaper noted that during his presidency from 2005 to 2013, Ahmadinejad was known for calls to “wipe Israel off the map,” his strong backing of Iran’s nuclear programme, and harsh crackdowns on dissent within Iran.
