The New York Times reports that former Mossad chief Dedi Barnea met with former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2024, attempting to recruit him as an intelligence asset with the aim of positioning him as a future president of Iran. The report also states that Iranian authorities say Ahmadinejad is currently in detention, held by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The New York Times investigation, published earlier today, reveals that the meeting between former Mossad chief Dedi Barnea and former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took place in 2024 and involved a direct attempt to recruit him as an intelligence asset, with the goal of positioning him as a future president of Iran. The report, which draws on multiple sources, states that Iranian authorities now say Ahmadinejad is in detention, held by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), following the exposure of his contacts with Israel.
The Zioneer first reported the story at 13:42 Jerusalem, citing the NYT. At 13:43, Haaretz reported that Barnea personally oversaw the operation to recruit Ahmadinejad. Also at 13:43, a separate NYT report cited four senior Iranian officials confirming that Ahmadinejad is under house arrest by the IRGC's intelligence wing. At 13:47, the NYT reported that a Mossad rescue operation for Ahmadinejad on February 28, the opening day of Operation Roaring Lion, had failed. The corroboration has expanded from a single report to multiple news organizations and named Iranian officials.
As The Zioneer previously reported, Ahmadinejad was seen in public at the funeral of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on July 6, quashing earlier death rumors. The current operation to recruit him dates back to 2024, according to the NYT, and was part of a long-running Israeli effort to install a post-regime leader.
The specific claims about the 2024 meeting and the recruitment attempt have not been independently confirmed by The Zioneer. While four Iranian officials provided details to the NYT, the full scope of Israeli involvement and the extent of Ahmadinejad's cooperation remain unclear.
4 developments
- DevelopingFormer Iranian President Ahmadinejad arrested by IRGC on suspicion of Mossad ties
- 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
- DevelopingNYT: Mossad contacts with Ahmadinejad began in 2023, included Budapest meetings with then-chief Barnea
Source and signal
- Internal intake