Ahmadinejad served as Iranian president from 2005 until 2013. Following this, he has been barred three times from running for president again by an unelected 12-member Guardian Council, in 2017, 2021, and 2024. After the 2017 disqualification, he reportedly also became a vocal critic of Ali Khamenei.<\/p>\n
He is also known, per the NYT, for his hard-line anti-Israel and anti-American views.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"Then-Iranian](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/709040.jpeg\"\/)
Then-Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad pictured in Tehran in 2011; illustrative. (credit: REUTERS\/MORTEZA NIKOUBAZL)<\/p>\n
Ahmadinejad\u2019s freedom of movement had been restricted following the mass anti-regime protests in January, according to a March report by\u00a0<\/a>The Atlantic<\/a>. His phones were reportedly confiscated, and the number of his bodyguards was raised to approximately 50.<\/p>\n The March\u00a0Atlantic\u00a0report also revealed that the joint Israel-US strike on Ahmadinejad’s home was an attempt to free rather than assassinate him. Following this discovery, an associate of the former Iranian president told the NYT he did indeed view the strike as a jailbreak attempt.<\/p>\n The plan to reinstall Ahmadinejad was initially developed by Israel and had been discussed with him, the NYT claimed. However, the report said the plan ultimately failed after he was wounded during the jailbreak attempt and his whereabouts and condition since the strike are unknown. Since his alleged escape, Ahmadinejad has delivered a few public addresses, including a congratulatory message on Mojtaba Khamenei\u2019s rise to the position of supreme leader.<\/p>\n Ahmadinejad would have been an unusual choice<\/p>\n The NYT reported that Ahmadinejad would have been a highly unorthodox choice to replace the current Iranian regime, noting that during his term as president, he was known for his calls to “wipe Israel off the map.” He was also a strong proponent of Iran’s nuclear program, the NYT noted.<\/p>\n Neither US nor Israeli officials commented on the matter directly when asked by the NYT.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cFrom the outset, President Trump was clear about his goals for Operation Epic Fury: destroy Iran\u2019s ballistic missiles, dismantle their production facilities, sink their navy, and weaken their proxy,\u201d White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly told the\u00a0NYT\u00a0in response to a request for comment about the regime change plan and Ahmadinejad.<\/p>\n \u201cThe United States military met or exceeded all of its objectives, and now, our negotiators are working to make a deal that would end Iran\u2019s nuclear capabilities for good.\u201d<\/p>\n The spokesperson for Israel’s Mossad was also contacted by the\u00a0NYT for a comment and declined.<\/p>\n Ahmadinejad expresses support for Trump, Pahlavi royal family<\/p>\n