Overview
- The New York Times published an investigation on July 13–14 saying Israeli intelligence spent years contacting Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, using overseas meetings, academic covers in Budapest and secret payments to build ties.
- Reporters say the effort began in early 2024 when a Hungarian university was asked to invite Ahmadinejad to a climate conference that served as a meeting cover and that then‑Mossad chief David Barnea met him in Budapest.
- The paper alleges the plot peaked on Feb. 28 when an airstrike hit Ahmadinejad’s Tehran compound and operatives moved him to a safe house inside Iran, after which he left that location under unclear circumstances.
- Ahmadinejad’s office called the story “Hollywood‑style” fake news and Iranian state outlets published recent photos of him, while Israeli and Iranian authorities have not publicly confirmed the operational details.
- Key claims rest on anonymous U.S., Israeli and Iranian officials and remain unverified, a gap that could sharpen internal Iranian probes, fuel propaganda efforts and raise the risk of further regional escalation.