The New York Times reports new details on the Mossad's long-running effort to cultivate former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, revealing that he was summoned to a Budapest conference in 2024 where he met Mossad chief Dedi Barnea, and that Israel has been secretly paying for his living and travel expenses in recent years. The Mossad informed the CIA of the contact, according to the report, as cited by N12's Asaf Rozentzweig.
The New York Times, cited by N12's Asaf Rozentzweig, has released additional details on the Mossad's cultivation of former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The report states that in 2024, Ahmadinejad was summoned to a conference at a university in Budapest, where he met Mossad chief Dedi Barnea for the first time. Israel has been secretly paying for his living and travel expenses in recent years, according to the Times. The Zioneer has been tracking this story since 13:40 Jerusalem today.
At 13:40, The Zioneer reported the initial NYT story that Barnea met Ahmadinejad as part of a secret bid to install him as a post-regime leader. Within minutes, updates added that the meetings occurred in Budapest in 2024 and 2025 and involved cash payments. A further update at 13:40 detailed that the Mossad informed the CIA of the contact, and described a failed rescue operation on the opening day of Operation Roaring Lion (February 28) and Ahmadinejad's subsequent house arrest by the IRGC's intelligence wing. The evolution of the story has been marked by corroboration from Iranian and American officials cited by the Times.
As The Zioneer reported earlier, the Times investigation also details how Ahmadinejad softened his anti-Israel stance, changed his dress, and learned English as part of the cultivation. After the failed rescue, he left a Mossad safe house under unclear circumstances and resurfaced at the funeral of slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
It remains unclear how the CIA reacted to the Mossad briefing, and the full circumstances of Ahmadinejad's house arrest—including whether the IRGC has formally charged him—are not yet confirmed.
6 developments
- 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
- 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
Source and signal
- Internal intake