US-Israel Plan to Install Ahmadinejad as Iran’s Leader Revealed
Former Israeli Military Intelligence chief Maj. Gen. (res.) Tamir Hayman has disclosed that the US and Israel developed a covert plan to overthrow Iran’s regime and install ex-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as its new leader.
The scheme involved a series of special operations, with a Kurdish incursion as the centerpiece to destabilize the regime. Ahmadinejad, who had reportedly fallen out with Iran’s leadership, was seen as a potential transitional figure despite his anti-Western history.
The plan collapsed after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan convinced Donald Trump to abandon the Kurdish element, citing risks to Turkish stability.
Hayman linked the initiative to perceived US successes in Venezuela, which boosted confidence in Washington and contributed to the surprise escalation that led to the outbreak of major conflict on February 28, 2026. An early Israeli strike reportedly aimed to free Ahmadinejad from house arrest, but the broader regime-change sequence was ultimately scrapped.
