Early War Goal Was to Install Hard Line Former President as Iran's Leader

[reACTIONary]

Source: NYT, No Paywall

An Israeli strike designed to free Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from house arrest in Tehran, U.S. officials said, was part of an effort to bring about regime change and put him in power.

Days after Israeli strikes killed Iran’s supreme leader and other top officials in the opening salvos of the war, President Trump mused publicly that it would be best if “someone from within” Iran took over the country.

It turns out that the United States and Israel went into the conflict with a particular and very surprising someone in mind: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the former Iranian president known for his hard-line, anti-Israel and anti-American views.

But the audacious plan, developed by the Israelis and which Mr. Ahmadinejad had been consulted about, quickly went awry, according to the U.S. officials who were briefed on it. Mr. Ahmadinejad was injured on the war’s first day by an Israeli strike at his home in Tehran that had been designed to free him from house arrest, the American officials and an associate of Mr. Ahmadinejad said. He survived the strike, they said, but after the near miss he became disillusioned with the regime change plan.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/19/us/politics/iran-israel-us-leader-ahmadinejad.html?unlocked_article_code=1.j1A.orYj.GB1AMy9IKFB-&smid=url-share

[pat_k]

1. Plots within plots within plots by megalomaniac madmen.

There is nothing rational about this criminal war on Iran.

[Drum]

2. Thank you for sharing!

I just read this piece a few minutes ago. DO check the comments

[reACTIONary]

4. I'll check them out!

[RedWhiteBlueIsRacist]

3. The gang that couldn't regime change straight.

[BaronChocula]

5. "but after the near miss he became disillusioned with the regime change plan"

Ya think? With friends like these...

[Uncle Joe]

6. This seems similar to the MO

of Netanyahu helping to keep Hamas in power in Gaza for years to prevent democracy, and/or an equitable formal peace agreement between Israelis and Palestinians from breaking out.

Thanks for the thread reACTIONary