US and Israel ‘hoped to install Ahmadinejad as Iran’s leader’
Airstrike at the start of the war was aimed at freeing populist ex-president from house arrest, US newspaper claims
TL;DR
- Claims suggest Israel and the US planned to install Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as Iran's leader.
- An airstrike was reportedly aimed at freeing Ahmadinejad from house arrest, though he was reportedly uneasy about the operation.
- The incident suggests the US and Israel overestimated opposition to the Iranian regime and their ability to cause its downfall.
- Donald Trump is considering further airstrikes against Iran to force concessions on its nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz.
- Tensions are high over Iran's refusal to halt domestic uranium enrichment and its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
- The US has implemented a counter-blockade of Iran's ports, impacting its oil shipments.
- Iranian media expressed skepticism about the claims, stating Ahmadinejad was not under house arrest.
- Ahmadinejad's past policies, including Holocaust denial, make him an unlikely ally for Netanyahu.
- Trump's strategy was compared to the US intervention in Venezuela, aiming to capture a leader without toppling the entire regime.
- Ahmadinejad's political influence declined significantly after falling out with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in 2011.
- He has faced obstacles in standing for the presidency again and has made mild criticisms of Israeli actions.
- Ahmadinejad reportedly visited pro-Israel Hungary, indicating a shift in his stance.