According to American and Iranian sources as reported by The New York Times, after Mossad agents extracted former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from his compound following an Israeli strike on February 28, he left the safe house under unclear circumstances. He was not seen in public until this past Monday, when he briefly appeared at the funeral of slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
A new report from The New York Times, citing American and Iranian sources familiar with the operation, provides additional details on the February 28 Israeli strike on the compound of former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the subsequent Mossad extraction. According to the sources, after the airstrike, Mossad agents in a black Peugeot retrieved Ahmadinejad and took him to a secret safe house in Iran. However, the former president left the safe house under unclear circumstances, apparently agitated by the extraction plan. He was not seen in public until his brief appearance at the funeral of the slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on July 6, ending speculation about his fate. The Zioneer has previously reported on the initial NYT account of the strike and extraction, which was described as part of Operation Roaring Lion. The circumstances of Ahmadinejad's departure from the safe house remain unconfirmed.
2 developments
- StrongNYT: Israel paid former Iranian president Ahmadinejad, attempted rescue on Operation Roaring Lion opening day
- DevelopingAhmadinejad met Mossad chief under alleged Israeli plan, now under arrest — report
- DevelopingNYT: Mossad Groomed Ahmadinejad as Post-Regime Leader, Smuggled Him Out of Tehran
- DevelopingFirst report: Mojtaba Khamenei abducted from Tehran hospital after father's assassination
Source and signal
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