The New York Times reports that Israel cultivated former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as an intelligence asset for years, including secret meetings in Budapest in 2024 and 2025 and cash payments, aiming to install him as Iran's leader after regime change. The report adds new details to the previously revealed operation.
The New York Times published additional details on Monday about Israel's years-long effort to cultivate former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as an intelligence asset. According to the report, Ahmadinejad was invited to Budapest in early 2024 under the guise of an academic conference, where he met with Mossad personnel. Further meetings took place in 2024 and 2025, and Israel provided him with secret cash payments. The report does not specify the amounts or the current status of the operation.
5 developments
- StrongNYT: Israel paid former Iranian president Ahmadinejad, attempted rescue on Operation Roaring Lion opening day
- ConfirmedNew details on Mossad's Ahmadinejad operation: failed rescue, extraction, house arrest
- DevelopingFormer Iranian President Ahmadinejad arrested by IRGC on suspicion of Mossad ties
- DevelopingReport: Mossad agents extracted Ahmadinejad after Israeli strike on his compound on Feb. 28
Source and signal
- Internal intake