Ahmadinejad Denies Mossad Claims as Conflicting Reports Swirl Over His Status in Iran

Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has denied reports linking him to Israel's Mossad after a New York Times investigation alleged he was recruited as a long-term intelligence asset. While Iranian officials and state-linked media insist the claims are false and have released footage showing him in public, other reports continue to claim he is under house arrest following the alleged exposure of contacts with Israel.

Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has rejected reports claiming he maintained secret ties with Israel's Mossad, calling the allegations completely false as conflicting accounts continue to emerge from inside Iran.

Ahmadinejad's office issued a statement dismissing a New York Times report that alleged he had been recruited by Israeli intelligence as part of a long-term plan to replace the Islamic Republic's leadership. The statement described the report as an "absolute lie" and a "Hollywood story," accusing Iran's enemies of conducting psychological warfare designed to create internal unrest.

According to his office, Ahmadinejad is continuing his normal daily activities, is not under house arrest, and has no connection whatsoever to Israel. Officials said they decided to publicly respond because of the sensitive security situation inside Iran.

Conflicting Reports Continue

At the same time, Iran's Mehr News Agency released video showing Ahmadinejad attending a memorial ceremony for former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Additional Iranian media also published photographs of him meeting with associates and participating in an Economic Committee session of the Expediency Discernment Council.

Those images were released shortly after the New York Times published an investigation alleging Ahmadinejad had been the focus of a years-long covert Mossad operation. According to that report, Israeli intelligence sought to cultivate him as a strategic asset with the long-term objective of positioning him to lead Iran if the current regime collapsed.

The report further alleged that a 2024 conference in Budapest served as cover for secret meetings between Ahmadinejad and Israeli intelligence officials, and that then-Mossad Director David (Dadi) Barnea personally participated in the operation. The newspaper also cited former U.S. officials who claimed Mossad later informed the CIA that direct contact with the former Iranian president had been established.

Additional reports claimed Ahmadinejad was transferred to the custody of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' intelligence division and placed under house arrest after the alleged operation was exposed. However, Iranian officials have publicly denied those claims, and no independent confirmation has been provided.

The conflicting accounts highlight the growing uncertainty surrounding Iran's internal political landscape following recent regional developments, with key aspects of the competing reports remaining unverified.