NYT: US, Israel considered ex-Iranian president for regime change

The United States and Israel considered former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as a possible figure in a post-conflict political scenario during the early stages of the recent war with Iran, The New York Times has learned.

The idea emerged after Israeli strikes killed Iran’s supreme leader and other senior officials in the opening phase of the conflict. In the aftermath, U.S. President Donald Trump publicly suggested it would be preferable if “someone from within” Iran assumed leadership.

U.S. and Israeli officials explored the possibility of Ahmadinejad — a controversial former Iranian president known for his hard-line rhetoric — playing a role in an internal political transition, sources told the NYT. The plan was described as unexpected and ultimately unsuccessful.

Ahmadinejad had reportedly been in contact with individuals linked to the discussions and had been under consideration despite his long-standing opposition to the United States and Israel.

The officials told NYT that he was injured on the first day of the war when an Israeli strike hit his residence in Tehran. The strike, according to U.S. officials cited in the article, was intended to eliminate guards stationed outside his home as part of an effort to free him from house arrest. He reportedly survived but became disillusioned with the plan following the incident.

Since then, Ahmadinejad has not been seen publicly, and his current whereabouts and condition remain unknown, the report said.

The New York Times noted that the idea of involving Ahmadinejad was highly unusual, given his political record. As president of Iran from 2005 to 2013, he was known for his confrontational stance toward Israel and the United States, as well as his strong support for Iran’s nuclear programme and his crackdown on domestic dissent.

He has also been repeatedly blocked from running in Iran’s presidential elections in 2017, 2021, and 2024 by the country’s Guardian Council, which oversees candidate eligibility.

The article says many details of the alleged plan remain unclear, including how Ahmadinejad was recruited and the exact circumstances surrounding the strike. U.S. officials cited in the report said the Israeli Air Force carried out the operation as part of a broader effort linked to the plan.

By Sabina Mammadli