Recent reports have revealed a multi-year effort by Israel to turn former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad into a key intelligence asset. Despite his history as a firebrand known for denying the Holocaust and calling for Israel’s destruction, Israeli intelligence sought to leverage him as a potential leader in a post-regime Iran.
Meetings in Budapest
The operation gained momentum in 2024 when Ahmadinejad was invited to a climate change conference in Budapest. According to reports, this invitation was a cover orchestrated by a senior Hungarian official.
Gergely Deli, the university rector who extended the invite, noted he agreed because he believed that if “you have tow enemies and if these enemies want to talk with each other, then it’s best to do what you can to make them talk.” Israeli intelligence head David Barnea reportedly traveled to Hungary to meet with the former president personally.
Failed regime change plot
The strategy was part of a larger ambitious plan by Israel to overthrow the current Iranian government. As tensions escalated into a conflict in February 2026, the operation included a tactical strike aimed at freeing Ahmadinejad from house arrest to position him as a new leader. However, the plan ultimately collapsed and the regime remained firmly in control.
Ahmadinejad under custody
Following the failed plot, reports indicate that Ahmadinejad has been detained by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Iranian authorities reportedly uncovered his deep connections with Israeli intelligence.
While his exact status remains unclear, he is believed to be under house arrest marking a dramatic end to covert effort that sought to transform one of Israel’s fiercest ideological enemies into a political pawn.
