The United States and Israel reportedly entered the Iran war with a dramatic long-term goal: removing the Islamic Republic’s leadership and replacing it with former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

According to reports citing US officials briefed on the discussions, the plan unravelled almost immediately after fighting broke out. The alleged strategy would have placed one of Iran’s most controversial political figures at the centre of a post-war power shift inside Tehran.

From Regime Change to Chaos

President Donald Trump had repeatedly hinted that Washington wanted “regime change” in Iran led by “someone from within”. Until now, however, there had been no clear indication of who that figure might be.

The New York Times reported that Israeli planners, allegedly working with Ahmadinejad’s input, believed the former president could emerge as a replacement for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei if the regime fractured under military pressure.

But the operation quickly descended into confusion. Ahmadinejad disappeared from public view after an Israeli strike hit his Tehran residence. Initial reports claimed he had been killed. Later accounts suggested he survived but was wounded.

Strike Meant to ‘Free’ Ex-President

Sources close to Ahmadinejad reportedly claimed the strike was intended to break him out of effective house arrest rather than assassinate him. Three Revolutionary Guard bodyguards were killed in the attack.

The former president’s current whereabouts remain unknown. Reports suggest the operation formed part of a broader multi-stage attempt to weaken the Iranian establishment and install a more compliant leadership structure.

Neither the White House nor the Israeli military publicly confirmed the claims. However, a White House spokeswoman said Trump’s objectives included crippling Iran’s missile systems, naval capacity and regional proxy network.

A Deeply Divisive Figure Returns to the Spotlight

Ahmadinejad remains one of the most polarising figures in modern Iranian politics. During his presidency from 2005 to 2013, he became internationally notorious for anti-Israel rhetoric and hardline nationalism.

Yet in recent years, he also clashed openly with Iran’s ruling establishment. He criticised Khamenei’s government, backed Ukraine against Russia and was barred from standing again in presidential elections.

The reports expose the extraordinary political calculations behind the war — and the risks of foreign powers attempting to reshape Iran from the inside while the region edges deeper into instability.

US and Israel 'wanted Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as new leader of Iran'

Will the Iranian opposition take note of this; essentially another US sell out of liberal forces.

Virtually everything that Trump and Netanyahu planned for this war has gone sideways, and the extent of the poor information they must have had is really quite astonishing. Either that or both simply suffered from ridiculous and dangerous levels of hubris. Which is quite possible knowing Disaster Don.

The goal was to deflect from Epstein. Next up invade Cuba, Canada, California. Anything to distract and deflect.

It's well past time when the leaderships of the USA and Israel should've been replaced,

I'm sure the Iranians would be delighted with

probably the most uninspiring leader

in the world!

Believe he got a degree in ....traffic !

Installation is synonymous with election, isn't it?