The United States and Israel entered the war in Iran with the aim of installing former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as the country’s leader, according to reports.
The plan, developed by the Israelis with Mr Ahmadinejad’s consultation, fell apart following the outbreak of war, US officials briefed on the discussions told the New York Times.
President Donald Trump had been open about the US-Israeli plan to initiate “regime change” in Iran, replacing the old establishment with “someone from within”.
However, it was unclear until now who they had in mind to head the Islamic Republic after the death of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Mr Ahmadinejad has not been seen in public since he was injured in an Israeli strike on his home in Tehran as part of an effort to break him free from house arrest. Three members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps serving as his bodyguards were killed in the attack.
Initial reports claimed he had been assassinated but he was later said to be alive. His current location and condition remain unknown. The former president was leader of Iran between 2005 and 2013.
An associate of the former leader confirmed to the New York Times that the Mr Ahmadinejad saw the attack as an attempt to free him. Previous reports by The Atlantic had also suggested that the strike was a “jailbreak operation”.
The plot to overthrow the Iranian government and install Mr Ahmadinejad was allegedly part of a multistage operation to install a more pliable leadership in the country.
The Independent has contacted the White House and Israeli military for comment.
“From the outset, President Trump was clear about his goals for Operation Epic Fury: destroy Iran’s ballistic missiles, dismantle their production facilities, sink their navy, and weaken their proxy,” Anna Kelly, a White House spokeswoman, told the New York Times in response to a request for comment about the regime change plan and Ahmadinejad.
“The United States military met or exceeded all of its objectives, and now, our negotiators are working to make a deal that would end Iran’s nuclear capabilities for good.”
Mr Ahmadinejad is considered a staunch opponent of Israel and the US and had previously called to “wipe Israel off the map”. In the years after his presidency he expressed criticism of Ayatollah Khamenei’s government and support for Ukraine, warning that President Vladimir Putin would have “no achievement” to show for it.
His freedom of movement had recently been restricted amid the civil unrest across Iran, which saw thousands of protesters killed according to human rights organisations. He had attempted to run for president but was disqualified from elections by the establishment.
Close allies of Mr Ahmadinejad have been accused of spying for Western countries and Israel, including his former chief of staff Esfandiar Rahim Mashai who was put on trial in 2018.
