Israel Courted Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for Post-Regime Role in Iran

Israel’s foreign intelligence agency, Mossad, reportedly attempted to recruit former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to lead a post-theocratic regime in Tehran. This remarkable effort, dubbed Operation Puss in Boots, began in 2022 and continued even during the peak of the Gaza conflict. Reports from the New York Times and Haaretz claim that then-Mossad Director David Barnea travelled to Budapest to meet Ahmadinejad personally. The former president had begun distancing himself from the Iranian regime in recent years. He notably moderated his hardline views, improved his English, and even adopted a different physical appearance to reshape his global image.

The recruitment drive gained momentum in 2025 after Ahmadinejad spoke at a climate conference in Hungary. Israeli officials allegedly funded his travel and housing, meeting him multiple times in Europe. However, internal friction plagued the mission. While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the operation to proceed, some Israeli military leaders dismissed it as a fantasy. The plan took a dramatic turn following US and Israeli military strikes on February 28, 2026, which reportedly killed several senior Iranian figures, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Mossad agents allegedly rescued Ahmadinejad from his home and took him to a safe house, but the former leader eventually became disillusioned with the plan.

Ahmadinejad is currently believed to be in the custody of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intelligence wing after leaving the safe house under mysterious circumstances. His first public appearance since the military strikes occurred at the funeral of Ali Khamenei last week. For India, this unprecedented intelligence rift in the Middle East poses significant risks to regional energy security and maritime trade routes. Any internal instability in Iran directly impacts New Delhi’s strategic interests, particularly regarding the Chabahar Port and bilateral energy agreements. The revelations of such deep-seated espionage further complicate the fragile security landscape of the region.