Israeli Channel 14 reports that the Mossad intelligence agency attempted to recruit former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. No further details about the timing, method, or outcome were provided.
Channel 14 reported Monday evening (20:05 Jerusalem) that Mossad attempted to recruit former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The report did not specify when the attempt occurred, the method used, or whether it succeeded. This new claim comes in the context of a day-long series of reports that began at 13:23 Jerusalem, when The Zioneer first reported that four Iranian officials told the New York Times that Ahmadinejad had been arrested and placed under house arrest by IRGC intelligence over alleged ties to Israel. Subsequent reports — from the Jerusalem Post, the Times of Israel, and a former senior Mossad official — have expanded on the alleged Mossad operation, including a report that Ahmadinejad met Mossad chief Dedi Barnea as part of an Israeli plan to install him as Iran's leader.
The antecedents of the story unfolded rapidly after the initial 13:23 Jerusalem bulletin. The first report, citing four Iranian officials via the New York Times, was followed by a confirmation from the Jerusalem Post that the IRGC had arrested Ahmadinejad. The Times of Israel then reported that the former president met Mossad chief Barnea. By 13:23 Jerusalem, a former senior Mossad official had analyzed the recruitment mechanism, stating that Ahmadinejad's alleged cooperation was motivated by a desire to return to power. The source quality evolved from a single unverified claim to multiple newsrooms citing Iranian officials, and finally to an on-record analysis from a former Israeli intelligence senior.
As The Zioneer reported earlier today, the former Mossad official's assessment frames the alleged cooperation as a power play by Ahmadinejad. The broader context of US-Iran clashes, as reported by The Zioneer in recent days, indicates heightened regional tensions, though no direct link has been established to this specific case.
The Channel 14 report remains unverified by independent sources. The IRGC has not officially commented on the arrest or the alleged Mossad operation. The timing, method, and outcome of the alleged recruitment attempt are unknown. Ahmadinejad's own public statement earlier today, in which he said his mother voted for Khamenei for 30 years, appeared dismissive of the regime but did not address the specific allegations.
8 developments
- DevelopingNYT: Mossad Groomed Ahmadinejad as Post-Regime Leader, Smuggled Him Out of Tehran
- StrongNYT: Israel paid former Iranian president Ahmadinejad, attempted rescue on Operation Roaring Lion opening day
- DevelopingReport: Mossad agents extracted Ahmadinejad after Israeli strike on his compound on Feb. 28
- DevelopingFormer Mossad official warns of 'dangerous method of external publication' in report on secret Iran operation
Source and signal
- Internal intake